Red-hot Kahne rumbles to Infineon pole
By SceneDaily Staff
Saturday, June 21, 2008
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David Griffin / NASCAR Scene
SONOMA, Calif. – Apparently, Kasey Kahne doesn’t care that Infineon Raceway is located in California’s Wine Country.
Everywhere the NASCAR driver goes these days seems to be Budweiser Land.
Gillett Evernham’s Kahne turned a lap of 92.253 mph to take his second pole in three weeks and continue his recent surge, which has included three wins and a second-place finish in the last five races.
"We've always qualified pretty well out here," he said. "We had a really balanced, smooth lap, and that's what it takes. I would have never expected to be on the pole at Sonoma."
Kahne bested Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson (92.040), Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch, Petty Enterprises’ Bobby Labonte and five-time Sonoma winner Jeff Gordon (Hendrick).
Kahne’s GEM teammate Elliott Sadler was sixth, followed by Marcos Ambrose, who will make his Sprint Cup debut on Sunday for Wood Brothers Racing.
Robby Gordon, driving his own Robby Gordon Motorsports car that lacks sponsorship this weekend, qualified eighth, ahead of Penske’s Ryan Newman and Roush Fenway Racing’s Greg Biffle.
Six Dodges qualified in the top nine.
Ambrose was the fastest of the cars that had to qualify on speed, and made the race along with No Fear Racing’s Boris Said, Haas CNC Racing’s Max Papis, Red Bull Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, GEM’s Patrick Carpentier, Petty’s Terry Labonte and Front Row Motorsports’ Brian Simo.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti – who had raced at Infineon in the IndyCar Series – failed to qualify for the event, along with Hall of Fame Racing’s J.J. Yeley, Haas CNC’s Scott Riggs (driving the team’s No. 70 car this week) and Ash Racing’s Brandon Ash.
The day wasn't very good for two other Ganassi drivers, either. Defending race champion Juan Pablo Montoya qualified 21st, and road-course ace Scott Pruett was 27th in his substitute role for Reed Sorenson.
Max Papis, driving the No. 66 car for Haas, will also make his Sprint Cup Series debut. Another road course ace, Ron Fellows (subbing for Regan Smith in Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 01 car), qualified 22nd.
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Kasey Kahne
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