Sprint All-Star Race Qualifying Update

Lowe's Motor Speedway Charlotte -- 05/16/2009

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Saturday May 16 2009 1:13am

Becca's Pace Lap: Sprint All-Star Race @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway

• Front Row: Jimmie Johnson (P1), Kurt Busch (P2)

• Pole Qualifying Speed: 121.43 seconds (three laps + pit stop)

• Highest Starting Rookie: Max Papis - starts 9th (Sprint Showdown qualifying rained out – starting field set by order of qualifying draw – Kirk Shelmerdine on pole for Showdown, but see “To the Rear” for more)

• To the Rear: Kirk Shelmerdine was P1 and Carl Long P2 for the Showdown race when qualifying was rained out and the field was set by qualifying draw. However, both will move to the rear of the field per NASCAR ruling and David Stremme will actually bring the field to green.

• Fastest Qualifier by Manufacturer:
Chevy: Jimmie Johnson (1st)
Dodge: Kurt Busch (2nd)
Ford: Matt Kenseth (3rd)
Toyota: Kyle Busch (16th)

• Weather Forecast:
Showdown: Mostly cloudy, 76°F, 30% rain and thunderstorms
All-Star Race: Mostly cloudy, 71°F, scattered showers

• Race Notes:

Last year's race winner: Kasey Kahne (winner of the fan vote to make the field)

Jimmie Johnson not only won the pole for this year’s All-Star Race, but also paced the only practice session with a 183.393 mile per hour lap. Kyle Busch was second on the speed chart, followed Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, and Jeff Gordon.

The slowest cars in All-Star practice were Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer.

AJ Allmendinger and Martin Truex Jr. had the fastest practice times in Sprint Showdown practice.

Jeff Burton’s No. 31 team got to make the first pit stall selection by virtue of winning the Pit Crew Challenge on Thursday. They chose stall No. 2 which was the first available pit stall.

Although Kyle Busch has not won a Cup race at LMS, he has won at least one segment in each of the past three All-Star races.

Goodyear is bringing a new tire to Charlotte this week based on tire testing in March performed by Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose, and Paul Menard. The left side tire will be softer and is intended to provide more grip.

• Quotes of the Week:

“So we know what drugs we can take and what drugs we can’t? That don’t make no damn sense. Just don’t take drugs. Don’t do anything stupid and you won’t get caught. That’s ridiculous. I just think that nobody deserves anything - no lists, nothing. Don’t do drugs. Don’t do stupid stuff. The policy is a rule and don’t violate it and that’s that.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports No. 88, regarding whether NASCAR should give drivers a list of acceptable and banned substances.

“One of the biggest things for me is that you have to be able to run anywhere on the race track. Your car has to turn really good at certain areas on the track and the front end has to be in the track. Last year in the October race, the back end of my car was so far out of the track that the front was still really positive in those areas that I wanted it to be and that really benefited us. We ran second and were pretty darn close to Jeff Burton (race winner). I would say the biggest thing is having your front end really positive at certain load spots on the race track.” – Kasey Kahne, Richard Petty Motorsports No. 9, on the keys to success at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

• Current oddsmakers' favorite:
Jimmie Johnson +350 (starts 1st)
Kyle Busch +600 (starts 16th)

• Long shots to watch:
Kasey Kahne +2000 (starts 8th)
Also, whoever transfers from the Showdown and wins the fan vote

* All information current at press time

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