- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Sprint Cup
CUP: Ambrose Shatters Speed Mark
Marcos Ambrose took the Michigan pole at 203.241 miles per hour...
Marcos Ambrose made a record run for the pole for tomorrow’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway, already shaping up as a race steeped in controversy.
Ambrose qualified at 203.241 miles per hour in his No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, best of the 45 cars setting times at MIS, as the top 19 qualifiers all shattered the 200 mph barrier. It was the first career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole for Ambrose.
The pole speed was the fastest in NASCAR history at a track other than Daytona or Talladega. The old track record of 194.232 mph was set by Ryan Newman in 2005 and the previous non-restrictor-plate track record was 197.478 mph, set by Geoffrey Bodine in Atlanta in 1997. A total of 40 cars broke Newman’s MIS record.
“The Stanley team at Richard Petty Motorsports did an outstanding job for us. This is a really great hot rod and I am proud to represent them,” said Ambrose. “ ... This track is so fast, it is just reactions out there and my car was good. I have to be thankful for the lap I put down.”
Kevin Harvick had a great effort as well, pushing his No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to 202.037 mph, second fast in the session. Then came Greg Biffle’s No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, Kasey Kahne’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Newman in the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy.
Harvick actually aborted his qualifying lap, turned around, drove back to the exit of Turn 2 and started again, which was legal since he hadn’t taken the green flag.
“I was really loose coming to the green and I got up out of the groove,” said Harvick. “So I knew that if I didn’t stop, I was going to have a bad lap and it’s kind of a catch-22 with the temperatures there and obviously that didn’t help us coming to the checkered. But all in all, it’s better than it was going to be if I’d have come to the green that way.”
As for Biffle, the fastest man on Friday, he was good with his effort as well.
“I am extremely happy with where I qualified. I just go into Turn 1 and bump Marcos out of the way,” Biffle said, laughing.
The second five was NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Tony Stewart. Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson.
Thursday and Friday, the teams spent 8 hours and 40 minutes testing and practicing on the newly repaved MIS track surface. But after Greg Biffle stunned the garage with a lap of nearly 205 mph on Friday afternoon and drivers complained of blistered tires, Goodyear decided to change left-side tire compounds for tomorrow’s race.
The teams qualified on the same tires they practiced on, but will put the new left sides on for the first time for a 75-minute practice session that will begin at 6 p.m. ET. SPEED will televise the final practice.
“We get to start in the front and that is all you can ask for,” said Ambrose. “We are going to try the tire change tonight and see how our car adapts to that.”
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
Ambrose qualified at 203.241 miles per hour in his No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, best of the 45 cars setting times at MIS, as the top 19 qualifiers all shattered the 200 mph barrier. It was the first career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole for Ambrose.
The pole speed was the fastest in NASCAR history at a track other than Daytona or Talladega. The old track record of 194.232 mph was set by Ryan Newman in 2005 and the previous non-restrictor-plate track record was 197.478 mph, set by Geoffrey Bodine in Atlanta in 1997. A total of 40 cars broke Newman’s MIS record.
“The Stanley team at Richard Petty Motorsports did an outstanding job for us. This is a really great hot rod and I am proud to represent them,” said Ambrose. “ ... This track is so fast, it is just reactions out there and my car was good. I have to be thankful for the lap I put down.”
Kevin Harvick had a great effort as well, pushing his No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to 202.037 mph, second fast in the session. Then came Greg Biffle’s No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, Kasey Kahne’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Newman in the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy.
Harvick actually aborted his qualifying lap, turned around, drove back to the exit of Turn 2 and started again, which was legal since he hadn’t taken the green flag.
“I was really loose coming to the green and I got up out of the groove,” said Harvick. “So I knew that if I didn’t stop, I was going to have a bad lap and it’s kind of a catch-22 with the temperatures there and obviously that didn’t help us coming to the checkered. But all in all, it’s better than it was going to be if I’d have come to the green that way.”
As for Biffle, the fastest man on Friday, he was good with his effort as well.
“I am extremely happy with where I qualified. I just go into Turn 1 and bump Marcos out of the way,” Biffle said, laughing.
The second five was NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Tony Stewart. Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson.
Thursday and Friday, the teams spent 8 hours and 40 minutes testing and practicing on the newly repaved MIS track surface. But after Greg Biffle stunned the garage with a lap of nearly 205 mph on Friday afternoon and drivers complained of blistered tires, Goodyear decided to change left-side tire compounds for tomorrow’s race.
The teams qualified on the same tires they practiced on, but will put the new left sides on for the first time for a 75-minute practice session that will begin at 6 p.m. ET. SPEED will televise the final practice.
“We get to start in the front and that is all you can ask for,” said Ambrose. “We are going to try the tire change tonight and see how our car adapts to that.”
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
ICYMI: Memorial Service Celebrates Jason Leffler's Life »
-
Being A NASCAR Rookie Is Much Harder Than It Looks »
-
WAG Samantha Busch Has Some Hardcore Fans Of Her Own »
-
Edwards Is A Bully And Kes Has Diarrhea Of The Mouth »
-
5-Time "About Got (Expletive) Wrecked" For Listening To NASCAR »
-
ICYMI: The Biff Stands By Decision To Not Help Edwards »
-
Blowout Blame Game: Is It The Tire Or The Crew Chief? »
-
Biffle Loves It When The #48 Crashes Trying To Catch Him »
Latest Gallery
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
Winged Sprint-Car Wreck Claims Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler lost his life Wednesday night in a winged sprint-car… -
MCREYNOLDS: Dover Showed Gen-6 Car Is Strong
The biggest storyline of the year is the introduction of the Generation… -
CUP: Richard Petty Motorsports Expands Development Program
Young drivers join new Petty program... -
CUP: Monster Mile Gets Toyotas
Toyota teams find setbacks at Dover... -
CUP: Kez Is On The Down-Low
Bard Keselowski's car too low after race... -
CUP: Dover Power Rankings
Despite a rare and costly mistake, Jimmie Johnson holds onto the… -
CUP: Montoya Edges Closer To Oval Win
Juan Pablo Montoya loses shot at first victory on oval… - More News
