David Starr, who hadn't won a Bud Pole since late in the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck eries season, led 15 drivers who broke the Lowe's Motor Speedway one-lap record in Thursday's qualifying for the Infineon 200. 

The Houston veteran, at the wheel of the Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet, lapped the 1.5-mile track at an average speed of 178.577 mph. The lap was .141 second quicker than the effort recorded by 2003 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Carl Edwards. Edwards' Superchips Ford posted a speed of 177.749 mph.

The pole was the third by Starr, who's searching for his first top-five finish of the 2004 season. Starr finished ninth in his most recent two starts, at Mansfield,
Ohio and Martinsville, Va.

Starr's won from the pole in his only series victory, in September 2002 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Former series champion Mike Skinner claimed the No. 3 starting spot for Friday night's 201-mile, 134-lap race, which follows qualifying the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star race. Skinner's Toyota Tundra, Matt Crafton's Chevrolet and Bobby Hamilton's Dodge filled out the top five starting spots as all four series manufacturers will start up front.

|Former track record holder Bill Lester qualified eighth. Jack Sprague, winner of the most recent event at Mansfield, qualified 11th but will fall to the rear of the field because of an engine change. Two drivers - Kelly Sutton and Derrike Cope - failed to qualifying.