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(Ronda Greer/NASCAR Photo) |
Darnell Puts Ford on Daytona Pole
02-14-2008 11:45 pm
(Ronda Greer/NASCAR Photo)
Erik Darnell captured the newly re-named Keystone Light Pole qualifying award on Thursday evening at Daytona International Speedway, the only driver to break the 176 mph mark. Darnell and his No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford team will share the front row in Friday night's Chevy Silverado 250 with veteran driver Terry Cook in the No. 60 Wyler.com Toyota that clocked a 51.179 sec. lap at 175.853 mph.
"It was a good lap for our Northern Tool + Equipment Ford. I honestly didn't know if we'd have enough for the pole, there were a couple other guys out there in practice that were pretty quick." Darnell said Thursday evening "I wasn't worried about where we started, but more worried about how the truck was going to race and we've got it handling well in the draft. I'm looking forward to the race tomorrow night."
Mike Skinner qualified third in his No. 5 Toyota Tundra while Bobby Hamilton Racing Virginia driver and co-owner Stacy Compton put Dodge near the front with an impressive fourth place qualifying effort. Compton turned a 175.394 mph lap in 51.313 seconds around the 2.5 mile superspeedway.
2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Ron Hornaday, Jr. rounded out the Top-5 with a fast lap of 175.377 mph in 51.318 sec.
"I don't know what to say. These guys have done an awesome job on this Camping World Silverado," remarked Hornaday, Jr. "I'm a little disappointed because we lost a tenth (of a second) somewhere. I tried to go around the bumps the first time, and through them the second time, but maybe we just scrubbed a little too much speed."
The 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season officially kicks off Friday evening on SPEED with host Krista Voda and the NCTS Set-Up pre-race show at 7:30 pm ET. Race coverage begins at 8:00 pm ET with Rick Allen and Phil Parsons in the booth. Veteran truck series reporters Ray Dunlap and Adam Alexander provide flag-to-flag coverage from pit road.