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Live from Daytona: Friday PM Update
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Location: Blogs Running Wide Open |
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| Posted by: Joe VanHoose |
2/18/2007 12:15 AM |
The lights are on and the temperature is falling as fast as the sun here at Daytona International Speedway.
Tonight, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series takes to the high banks for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. The green flag waves shortly after 8 p.m., with truck series veterans Jack Sprague and Carl Edwards pacing the field.
Drivers to look out for include 2006 truck series champion Todd Bodine starting third, Travis Kvapil starting fourth, Terry Cook and Ted Musgrave filling up row 4, Johnny Benson rolling off tenth, and Ron Hornaday starting 16th. NASCAR drivers Ken Schrader and Mike Wallace share the eleventh row, Mike Skinner will make a go from ninth and Bill Lester will start 33rd.
Check back for results on this 100-lap race later on this evening.
The NASCAR Busch Series just finished qualifying for tomorrow’s Orbitz 300, and a rookie will be leading the field to the green flag.
Rookie Aric Almirola posted a speed of over 183 m.p.h. to take the pole for Joe Gibbs Racing. Jason Leffler claimed the outside poll with Jon Wood, Martin Truex Jr. and John Andretti filling out the top five.
Almirola was genuinely surprised with the result.
“I’m really proud of all my crew because this was the last thing I expected,” Almirola said after being notified he had won the pole. “I’m really excited about tomorrow. I’m sure I won’t get much sleep tonight.”
The majority of the Saturday’s field will also be racing on Sunday, with 23 drivers pulling double duty. Favorites include Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 20th, Mark Martin in eighth, Denny Hamlin in 15th and Juan Pablo Montoya in 16th. Local favorite David Reutimann will roll off the grid in 21st.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series ran its fifth practice session of the week earlier today for the Daytona 500. Once again, Ricky Rudd’s Snickers Ford found its way to the top of the speed chart.
Rudd ran a lap at over 190 m.p.h. to take the top spot. He was followed by Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Dave Blaney. Tony Stewart was fast enough for 17th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. clocked the 19th fastest time, and Jeff Gordon was 30th quickest.
Local standout David Reutimann cracked the top 10 in practice, running in the 188 m.p.h. bracket. As the practice went on, Reutimann became more and more comfortable with his car.
“The car was better today; the car drove really, really good,” Reutimann said. “The motor ran great, it was the same motor we ran yesterday, so no motor problems at all.”
Reutimann will start 40th in Sunday’s Daytona 500.
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