Ragan scores first career pole

Ragan scores first career pole
(April 8, 2011)
FORT WORTH, Texas—David Ragan finally fulfilled the potential he showed in practice.
Ragan blistered Texas Motor Speedway with a lap at 189.820 mph (28.448 seconds) Friday to win the first Coors Light pole award of his career.
Fastest during Thursday’s Sprint Cup practice for Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 at the 1.5-mile track, Ragan was last to qualify among drivers already locked into the field for Saturday’s race.
Ragan knocked Roush Fenway Racing teammate Carl Edwards (188.521 mph) off the provisional pole. The 15th driver to make a qualifying run, Edwards posted an exceptional lap that stood up until Ragan made his run.
Ragan has been fast in practice this season but, until Friday, had not converted that speed into a front-row starting position. His No. 6 Ford was one of the fastest cars during practice in Las Vegas, but Ragan spun out during his qualifying run and started at the rear of the field.
“First thing, I wasn’t backwards coming off of Turn 2 the way I was in Vegas, so that helped,” Ragan said. “When you’re fast in practice—and we’ve qualified in the top five, top 10 I think two or three times this year (fifth at Bristol and sixth at Fontana)—and when you do that, eventually you’re going to win a pole.
“And if you finish second, fifth and eighth, eventually you’ll win a race. I think that, ultimately, that’s our main goal. Our cars are just faster, and it’s just so much easier. I think we’re all qualifying a lot better because our cars are faster, they’re easier to drive and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel on qualifying days.”
Clint Bowyer (188.232) earned the third starting spot for the first night Cup race at Texas. Matt Kenseth (188.199) will start fourth, as Roush drivers claimed three of the top four positions.
Even though they qualified 1-2, Ragan and Edwards used different setups.
“They approached it different than we did, I think,” Edwards said. “His car was good. I watched his lap and the line he drove. It looked like his car did exactly what he wanted it to do, especially through Turns 1 and 2. He was screaming fast. I don’t know exactly what he did differently, but I didn’t expect that lap time.
“We were so close. That is cool for David, though. If we had to be second to anyone in qualifying, David would be the guy. Those guys have been working really hard.”
Series points leader Kyle Busch will start 11th. Travis Kvapil failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service