Full Throttle

With teammate Michael Waltrip’s first pole winning effort in 14 years, Dale Earnhardt must feel even more like the odd man out.Waltrip’s practice speeds placed him in the mid twenties on speed. Apparently Michael’s crew, formerly Dale Jr’s crew, did what they had to do and Michael has a right to be a little cocky:

“I remember that pole at Michigan and Dover (a month earlier), and I didn’t dream that I’d be an old man when I won my next one,” Waltrip said.

Although he knew he had a strong car, Waltrip expressed surprise that he was able to put it on the pole. “I got a little sideways,” he said. “We weren’t prefect, but we were good enough.”

Waltrip and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. swapped crews and cars at the beginning of this season. Using self-deprecating humor, Waltrip said the pole was proof of how well everything is working for him and the team led by Tony Eury Jr.

“There’s probably a lot of guys, owners in the garage area, walking around saying, ‘Man, he can take Michael and run good with him, just think what he could do if we gave him a real driver,’” Waltrip said.

Meanwhile Dale Jr.’s crew went through the motions. Jr. practiced in the mid thirties on speed and qualfied 34^th over 4 miles an hour slower than the pole winning speed. That’s called treading water folks.Going through the motions waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I expect with the rules changes this year an increase in blown engines at Pocono. With drivers not having to shift that long front straight may be just the ticket for increased RPM’s and hand grenaded engine parts.

Ken Schrader is the leader among regulars in Pocono poles with five. Bill Elliott, who drives a limited schedule, also has five. … Jimmie Johnson’s sweep of the races last summer was the first on the triangular track since Bobby Labonte won twice in 1999. There have been five sweeps since the track went to two races in 1982, when Bobby Allison won twice. Elliott swept in 1985 and Tim Richmond a year later. … No Pocono race has been won from the ninth position on the grid. … Cale Yarborough won the most competitive Pocono race, going to the front for the final time in the 56th lead change of the Coca-Cola 500 in 1979. … Jeff Gordon drove to the most convincing victory on the 2.5-mile track, leading 164 of 200 laps in the 1998 Pennsylvania 500.

1. (15) Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 169.052 mph.
2. (97) Kurt Busch, Ford, 168.678 mph.
3. (25) Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 168.334 mph.
4. (42) Jamie McMurray, Dodge, 167.842 mph.
5. (10) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 167.563 mph.
6. (19) Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 167.060 mph.
7. (18) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 167.035 mph.
8. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 166.988 mph.
9. (0) Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 166.960 mph.
10. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 166.837 mph.
11. (22) Scott Wimmer, Dodge, 166.784 mph.
12. (2) Rusty Wallace, Dodge, 166.722 mph.
13. (6) Mark Martin, Ford, 166.688 mph.
14. (40) Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 166.549 mph.
15. (9) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 166.516 mph.
16. (88) Dale Jarrett, Ford, 166.365 mph.
17. (12) Ryan Newman, Dodge, 166.340 mph.
18. (01) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 166.226 mph.
19. (49) Ken Schrader, Dodge, 166.180 mph.
20. (41) Casey Mears, Dodge, 166.003 mph.
21. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 165.902 mph.
22. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 165.893 mph.
23. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 165.853 mph.
24. (32) Bobby Hamilton Jr., Chevrolet, 165.853 mph.
25. (38) Elliott Sadler, Ford, 165.758 mph.
26. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 165.721 mph.
27. (7) Robby Gordon, Chevrolet, 165.685 mph.
28. (44) Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 165.615 mph.
29. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 165.551 mph.
30. (11) Jason Leffler, Chevrolet, 165.456 mph.
31. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 165.356 mph.
32. (21) Ricky Rudd, Ford, 165.122 mph.
33. (77) Travis Kvapil, Dodge, 165.004 mph.
34. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 164.871 mph.
35. (43) Jeff Green, Dodge, 164.633 mph.
36. (66) Mike Garvey, Ford, 164.606 mph.
37. (07) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 164.528 mph.
38. (5) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 164.519 mph.
39. (37) Kevin Lepage, Dodge, 163.863 mph.
40. (45) Kyle Petty, Dodge, 163.812 mph.
41. (13) Greg Sacks, Dodge, 163.414 mph.
42. (4) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, owner points.
43. (89) Morgan Shepherd, Dodge, 162.967 mph.

Failed To Qualify

44. (27) Kirk Shelmerdine, Ford, 161.946 mph.
45. (34) P.J. Jones, Chevrolet, 161.632 mph.
46. (92) Hermie Sadler, Chevrolet.
47. (00) Carl Long, Chevrolet.