Published: Saturday, August 4, 2007
NOTEBOOK
NASCAR
Delay helps Earnhardt win pole: In Friday's qualifying for the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the battle between two drivers fighting for the 12th and final spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. In winning the pole for Sunday's race, Earnhardt got an assist from the weather, as a brief rain shower interrupted his qualifying attempt with 10 drivers remaining on the grid. After the rain stopped, NASCAR allowed Earnhardt to put fresh tires on the No. 8 Chevrolet. On a cooler track, after a 45-minute delay, Earnhardt posted a lap at 169.975 mph (52.949 seconds) to knock Kurt Busch (169.863 mph) off the pole by .035 seconds. Earnhardt also broke up and all-Busch front row, relegating Kurt's brother Kyle (169.782 mph) to third in the starting order. Hartford native Dave Blaney will start 19th.
Stewart upset with ESPN: Here's another four-letter word stirring up trouble for Tony Stewart: ESPN. Stewart is fed up with the sports network and he didn't even need to curse to express his frustration with the way he believes some of its analysts have unfairly criticized him. Stewart was upset ESPN chided him for saying he was going to drink a case of beer to celebrate his July 15 win in Chicago, and one analyst said later that Stewart was not a good role model. Stewart talked to the media behind his hauler after qualifying on Friday at Pocono Raceway, and the former champ made it plainly — and cleanly — clear that he'll pick and choose when to speak with reporters from ESPN.
Not-so-secret weapon: Denny Hamlin won both Pocono races from the pole last year and finished sixth in the rain-shortened event in June. To hear Hamlin tell it, however, substantial credit for his success at the track belongs to his crew chief, Mike Ford, who won at Pocono in 2002 with driver Bill Elliott. "I think really it has more to do with me being given a great car here," said Hamlin. "It just seems like the way I drive, my entry in to the corners, my exit out of the corners and the way the cars are set up just combines perfectly for this racetrack to run well. Every driver finds a track where his style works perfect there. I think mine really works here."
Combined dispatches
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Delay helps Earnhardt win pole: In Friday's qualifying for the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the battle between two drivers fighting for the 12th and final spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. In winning the pole for Sunday's race, Earnhardt got an assist from the weather, as a brief rain shower interrupted his qualifying attempt with 10 drivers remaining on the grid. After the rain stopped, NASCAR allowed Earnhardt to put fresh tires on the No. 8 Chevrolet. On a cooler track, after a 45-minute delay, Earnhardt posted a lap at 169.975 mph (52.949 seconds) to knock Kurt Busch (169.863 mph) off the pole by .035 seconds. Earnhardt also broke up and all-Busch front row, relegating Kurt's brother Kyle (169.782 mph) to third in the starting order. Hartford native Dave Blaney will start 19th.
Stewart upset with ESPN: Here's another four-letter word stirring up trouble for Tony Stewart: ESPN. Stewart is fed up with the sports network and he didn't even need to curse to express his frustration with the way he believes some of its analysts have unfairly criticized him. Stewart was upset ESPN chided him for saying he was going to drink a case of beer to celebrate his July 15 win in Chicago, and one analyst said later that Stewart was not a good role model. Stewart talked to the media behind his hauler after qualifying on Friday at Pocono Raceway, and the former champ made it plainly — and cleanly — clear that he'll pick and choose when to speak with reporters from ESPN.
Not-so-secret weapon: Denny Hamlin won both Pocono races from the pole last year and finished sixth in the rain-shortened event in June. To hear Hamlin tell it, however, substantial credit for his success at the track belongs to his crew chief, Mike Ford, who won at Pocono in 2002 with driver Bill Elliott. "I think really it has more to do with me being given a great car here," said Hamlin. "It just seems like the way I drive, my entry in to the corners, my exit out of the corners and the way the cars are set up just combines perfectly for this racetrack to run well. Every driver finds a track where his style works perfect there. I think mine really works here."
Combined dispatches
Saturday, August 4, 2007
and cleanly — clear that he'll pick and choose when to speak with reporters from ESPN.
Not-so-secret weapon: Denny...
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