Edwards lights up Bristol with sub-15-second pole run

Edwards lights up Bristol with sub-15-second pole run


(March 18, 2011)

BRISTOL , Tenn. —Posting the only sub-15-second lap of Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying session, Carl Edwards edged Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle for the pole for Sunday's Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Edwards powered his No. 99 Ford around the .533-mile short track in 14.989 seconds (128.014 mph) to Biffle's 15.035 seconds (127.622 mph). Regan Smith (127.580 mph) will start a career-best third in the fourth race of the Cup season, with Paul Menard (127.537 mph) beside him on the second row.
The Coors Light Pole Award was Edwards' second of the season, his second at Bristol and the ninth of his career.
Edwards acknowledged, however, that a right-side tire change made on the fly by Goodyear has the potential to change the nature of Sunday's race.
Goodyear is transporting new right-side tires to Bristol to replace the right sides both Cup and Nationwide teams ran during Friday's practices. Cup drivers, who qualified on the tires that will be replaced, will have one set of new right sides for Saturday's practice.
The tires Goodyear provided for the race failed to "rubber in" the racetrack, and heavy wear on the outside shoulder of the right rear tire did not improve during practice.
"The potential is there to completely turn this field upside-down, figuratively," Edwards said. "Guys that were struggling today could be dominant on Sunday. It's going to be very interesting. At a place like this, the tire is hugely important."
Biffle conceded that the tire change might have been necessary, but he would like to see drivers' tire management regain a higher level of importance in NASCAR racing.
"The tire change looks necessary, I guess," Biffle said. "Maybe the Nationwide cars are using a harder tire than we seem to be. I haven't seen any indication that this tire wouldn't work for the race, but some guys ran longer than we did (in practice), so that may be part of it.
"Part of our sport is tire management by the driver, and we don't have that anymore."
Despite the tire issues, Edwards hopes his early-season roll continues. He finished second in the Daytona 500, won the pole at Phoenix and claimed his first victory of the season in the March 6 Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"I'm enjoying this," Edwards said. "I'm having fun. I'm hoping it lasts, and I'm going to keep driving the way I'm driving until we win a championship, or this car won't go as fast."
David Ragan will start fifth, followed by five-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne will start from positions 7-10, respectively.
Ken Schrader failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service