No speed bumps or pot holes for Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray on Friday. Apparently the week-long media tour hasn’t hurt Jamie McMurray’s performance as he took the pole for the Auto Club 500 on Friday at 183.744mph
His EGR teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya was slightly slower second fastest at 183.477mph
Jamie McMurray seemed a little surprised by the pole run. “Honestly, I thought our car was too tight in one and two to be on the pole. I’m amazed at the week I had and to be on the pole, it’s pretty awesome,” he said after his fourth career pole.
“The car really feels solid so that was refreshing to go through everything this week and have a fast car again. I think this weekend is what really sets the standard for the rest of the races, it should be a really good weekend.”
Montoya took the near miss in good spirits. “Both cars ran amazing,” he said. When asked about the small difference that meant he wasn’t on the pole he replied, half-jesting “that close, it sucks. I thought this year I had it. I knew I was gonna get pretty close to the wall” but he thought it would be better to save his car for the race.
Clint Bowyer completed a top three Chevrolet qualifying effort.
Kasey Kahne had the fastest Ford in the fourth after an unsatisfactory practice. “I came to the green and felt like I got through three and four really good, so I overdrove one because I felt good. I drove too hard into turn one and gave a little bit away there just getting back to the throttle and didn’t probably get down the backstretch as good as I need to beat Clint, but it was still a good run. We came from a long ways back, but still have a pretty decent shot at it for Sunday.”
Dave Blaney, fifth in the small Prism Racing team car using year-old Michael Waltrip Racing equipment was the top Toyota. “I was surprised,” commented Blaney.
Sam Hornish Jr. had the fastest Dodge in eighth position, “a top ten here in qualifying is a nice step in the right direction for our team,” he said.
Three drivers didn’t make the field, Casey Mears, Johnny Sauter, and Terry Cook.
His EGR teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya was slightly slower second fastest at 183.477mph
Jamie McMurray seemed a little surprised by the pole run. “Honestly, I thought our car was too tight in one and two to be on the pole. I’m amazed at the week I had and to be on the pole, it’s pretty awesome,” he said after his fourth career pole.
“The car really feels solid so that was refreshing to go through everything this week and have a fast car again. I think this weekend is what really sets the standard for the rest of the races, it should be a really good weekend.”
Montoya took the near miss in good spirits. “Both cars ran amazing,” he said. When asked about the small difference that meant he wasn’t on the pole he replied, half-jesting “that close, it sucks. I thought this year I had it. I knew I was gonna get pretty close to the wall” but he thought it would be better to save his car for the race.
Clint Bowyer completed a top three Chevrolet qualifying effort.
Kasey Kahne had the fastest Ford in the fourth after an unsatisfactory practice. “I came to the green and felt like I got through three and four really good, so I overdrove one because I felt good. I drove too hard into turn one and gave a little bit away there just getting back to the throttle and didn’t probably get down the backstretch as good as I need to beat Clint, but it was still a good run. We came from a long ways back, but still have a pretty decent shot at it for Sunday.”
Dave Blaney, fifth in the small Prism Racing team car using year-old Michael Waltrip Racing equipment was the top Toyota. “I was surprised,” commented Blaney.
Sam Hornish Jr. had the fastest Dodge in eighth position, “a top ten here in qualifying is a nice step in the right direction for our team,” he said.
Three drivers didn’t make the field, Casey Mears, Johnny Sauter, and Terry Cook.