Posted: October 12, 2006
Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
CONCORD, N.C. -- Scott Riggs knocked Evernham Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne off the provisional pole late in Thursday night's qualifying session, earning the top starting spot for Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Driving the same No. 10 car he powered to the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 in May, Riggs turned a lap in 28.203 seconds (191.469 mph), as Dodge swept the top five positions -- until the time of third-place qualifier Kurt Busch was disallowed after inspection. Kahne continued the momentum he gained in last Sunday's 88-point reprieve at Talladega with his front-row performance.
Kahne held the top spot until late in the Thursday's session with a lap at 190.194 mph. Casey Mears (189.613) was third after Busch's disqualification for a right rear shock that did not conform to NASCAR's rules. Elliott Sadler (189.023 mph) qualified fourth, as Evernham Motorsports grabbed three of the top four starting positions.
"I knew we had a shot at the pole," Riggs said. "For us to be able to pull it off, it just makes it more rewarding. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I didn't make a mistake.
"The car did exactly what I wanted it to do, and it was an awesome-feeling lap, but I'd definitely trade this pole for a win."
With a second-place finish at Talladega, Kahne gained 88 points on Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup leader Jeff Burton, who finished 27th. Now ninth in points, Kahne is 185 behind Burton with six races remaining.
"I feel like we have a shot at winning races and running up front and doing everything we can to challenge for the Nextel Cup," Kahne said. "We had a couple of bad breaks and got behind a little bit, but this is a good team. They give me great cars every week. It's just a matter of circumstances, and hopefully we can run up front all weekend long."
Burton (188.574) will start sixth behind teammate Kevin Harvick (188.739 mph). Burton and Mark Martin posted the exact same time (28.636 seconds), but Burton got the nod for the sixth position because he's ahead of third-place Martin in the standings.
Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson and Jimmie Johnson completed the top 10. Johnson has won four of the last five races at LMS. Of the remaining Chase competitors, Matt Kenseth will start 11th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 16th, Kyle Busch 18th, Denny Hamlin 22nd and Jeff Gordon 41st. Busch will start at the rear of the field and may face further sanctions next week. Fighting an extremely loose racecar, Gordon had to take an owner points provisional after posting a lap at 183.100 mph.
Notes: Carl Long and Kenny Wallace crashed during qualifying but were unharmed in their respective accidents ? In his debut in the Team Red Bull/Victory Junction gang Dodge, Bill Elliott failed to make the field.
