| | Associated Press
Lineup
LONG POND, Pa. -- Rusty Wallace demonstrated once again that he's the fastest thing on wheels in NASCAR by winning the pole for the Pocono 500 with a record-setting run Friday.
Although he once considered himself a mediocre qualifier,
Wallace is having his best season in time trials. The pole was his
series-leading fifth after 15 of 34 events this year.
|  | | Rusty Wallace once again had the fastest hot rod in qualifying. |
The run at 171.625 mph in his Ford enabled the 43-year-old
driver from St. Louis to eclipse his personal best for any full
season. He had four in each of the last two years, and in 1989,
when he won his only Winston Cup championship.
So, he'll start first Sunday, the fourth time he will do so at
Pocono International Raceway.
"The car's been real fast all year long, but we have to do a better job of closing the deal," Wallace said. "We need to start winning some more races."
The pole was the second in three weeks for Wallace, who last took the top spot in qualifying for the MBNA Platinum 400 in Dover, Del.
In all, nine drivers eclipsed Sterling Marlin's year-old
qualifying record of 170.506.
Wallace seeking, his 51st career victory and second this year,
got around the track in 52.440 seconds. Qualifying second in a
Pontiac was John Andretti, timed in 52.551 for a speed of 171.262.
"It's always good to start up front at Pocono," Andretti said.
"If you start in the middle at Pocono, it's six abreast to the
first turn, and just wait to see who crashes."
Wallace would like to convert the pole into his fourth victory
on the mountaintop. That would tie him with Darrell Waltrip, Tim
Richmond and Bill Elliott, who also has four Pocono poles, for the
most in track history.
Winning, like qualifying, means constantly adjusting the car,
Wallace explained.
"I unloaded with the setup that we thought might be close," he
said. "But we kept changing springs and shocks."
Wallace says his newfound prowess as a qualifier who isn't
winning much is as puzzling as why he once controlled the circuit
but got few poles.
"I'm starting to remind myself of '93, when I won 10 races and
everybody kept asking me what was wrong," he said.
Wallace wound up on the pole only three times that season, and
only twice when he won eight races in 1994.
Third-fastest was Ricky Rudd, whose Ford went 170.820. Next was
his teammate, series champion and two-time Pocono winner Dale
Jarrett, at 170.788. Three-time Pocono winner Jeff Gordon was fifth
in a Chevrolet, going 170.700.
"We only did two or three timed laps in practice," Rudd said.
"I didn't think we had anything for Rusty, and we didn't."
Qualifying sixth was Mark Martin, followed by Mike Skinner, Jeff
Burton, Tony Stewart and Joe Nemechek.
Series points leader Bobby Labonte was 11th.
Ken Schrader, who has a record five poles on the tricky, 2.5-mile
triangular track, will occupy the 19th position on the grid.
Ward Burton, who trails Labonte by 102 points, failed to qualify
Friday and made the 43-car field after Saturday's qualifying
session. Burton, who is having a career-like season, qualified
32nd.
Burton is third in the Winston Cup standings, just four points
behind Earnhardt. He has posted top-10 finishes in 10 of the 14
races inclduing a victory at Darlington.
Among the 18 cars qualified Saturday were six rookies led by Matt
Kenseth who will start 29th in a Ford. Other rookies were Dave
Blaney, Mike Bliss, Stacey Compton, Scott Pruett and Ed Berrier.
Kenseth leads the Rookie of the Year battle by 13 points over
Dale Earnhardt Jr. He has posted steady runs in the last six
races and has worked himself up to 11th place in the overall
points standings from 21st. | |
ALSO SEE
Weber: Waltrip a winner off the track
Labonte seeking record-tying Pocono 500 victory
Pocono's unique curves to Stewart's liking
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Rusty Wallace wins the pole for the Pocono 500.
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Rusty Wallace hopes to finish with a win this Sunday.
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John Andretti hopes to capitalize on a good qualifying run.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Jeff Gordon is happy with qualifying in the top 5.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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