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CUP: Mears Takes Chicagoland Pole
Written by: Tom Jensen   
07/12/2007
Joliet, Ill.
 
Casey Mears, No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet, holds up his Budweiser Pole Award for the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. (Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images) » More Photos

Casey Mears put his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the pole for Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400, running a fast lap of 182.556 miles per hour around the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway oval. It was the third career NASCAR Nextel Cup pole for Mears, the first in nearly three years and just his third top-10 start of the season. And it couldn't have come at a better time.

With just eight races until the field is set for the Chase for the Nextel Cup, 19th-place Mears is still hoping he make it into the top 12 and contend for the title this season. Starting races up front helps in that regard, he said. "You can't count on those other guys having bad races, when you want to try and make the Chase," said Mears, who has climbed from 35th in points just eight races ago. "Our goal was the top-10 from Charlotte out and that hasn't happened yet. We need to get some good top fives. Obviously, we'd like to win this race. It would give us a good boost. We need top fives from here on out, if we're going to make the Chase."

Mears used a slight cloud cover to bump the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevy of Martin Truex, Jr. back to second place, still the best qualifying
result ever for the New Jersey native, who ran 182.476 mph.

Row 2 in Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race will feature Ryan Newman, 182.463 mph, and Mark Martin, who went 182.297 mph in his Ginn Racing Chevrolet. Newman's Penske Racing entry was the only non-Chevrolet among the top eight qualifiers.

Truex's teammate, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was fifth with a speed of 182.272 mph, good enough to edge Kyle Busch, 181.886 mph in a second Hendrick Chevy. The remainder of the top 10 consisted of Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, John Andretti and Matt Kenseth. Jeff Gordon was 11th, slowest of the four Hendrick cars, put still plenty stout.

Of the drivers who had to make the race on speed, Dave Blaney was best at 15th in a Bill Davis Racing Toyota. Also racing their way into the field were Paul Menard, Bill Elliott, Jeremy Mayfield, David Reutimann, Chad Chaffin, Michael Waltrip and Ward Burton.

DNQs included Scott Riggs, teammates Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger, Kenny Wallace, Kevin Lepage and Dale Jarrett.

USG SHEETROCK 400 QUALIFYING RESULTS