Ryan Newman has moved from 12th to eighth in the points in the last month. Credit: Autostock
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
September 21, 2002
5:11 PM EDT (2111 GMT)
DOVER, Del. -- Penske Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace topped the final practice sessions on Saturday in preparations for the MBNA All-American Heroes 400
Newman led the first practice in the No. 12 Ford with a speed of 151.566 mph around Dover International Speedway. Jeff Gordon was right behind him at 151.077 mph. Rounding out the top five speeds was Bobby Labonte, point leader Mark Martin and Kurt Busch.
Polesitter Rusty Wallace was sixth-fastest.
 | MBNA All-American Heroes 400 | | | | | | | |
|
|
During Happy Hour, Wallace topped the chart in the No. 2 Ford with a speed of 152.053 mph. Newman was second with a speed of 151.841 mph around the one-mile, high-banked concrete oval.
Rounding out the top five speeds was defending race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Joe Nemechek.
After the practice, Wallace spent a lot of time with the crew as they made final adjustments.
"All this becomes very, very important when you're on the pole and have a car as good as we do," Wallace said. "The right setup is going to be important if we want to dominate the race early and win this thing."
In that same session, Casey Atwood hit the outside wall in Turns 3 and 4, damaging the right side of the No. 7 Dodge. Atwood, who qualified 20th, will now start last because the team was forced to use the backup car.
| MBNA All-American Heroes 400 | | | | |
|
|
He was complaining about soreness in his right arm and inside of his right knee.
"Casey was in the middle of the turns and he said that all of a sudden it just broke loose on him," said Tony Furr, Atwood's crew chief. "He hadn't really complained about being loose. If anything, we've been tight.
"The last time here we had a top-10 car and got spun. We just can't seem to catch a break.
"Casey's a little sore. He's 22, he'll grow out of it."
|
;)
