Lewis takes first career Bud Pole at Gateway

MADISON, Ill. -- Ashton Lewis Jr. captured his first career Busch Series Bud Pole Award on Friday for Saturday's Charter Pipeline 250 at Gateway International Raceway.

	Ashton Lewis Jr.

Lewis toured the 1.25-mile track in 34.116 seconds -- a speed of 131.903 mph.

Until Friday, Lewis hadn't qualified any better than 14th this year -- a feat he accomplished at the Channellock 250 at Bristol. His best finish this season was a third at the Pepsi 300 at Nashville.

Lewis will be looking for his first Busch Series win on Saturday. His best career finish was a second-place effort at Richmond.

Ron Hornaday was second at 34.145,131.791 and Jason Keller was third at 34.185, 131.637.

Hornaday was second to Greg Biffle in last year's Charter Pipeline 250. He led a race-high 141 laps before a slow pit stop under caution forced him to lose the lead. This year, Hornaday sits fourth in the Busch Series standings, just 57 points behind series leader Todd Bodine.

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Stacy Compton and Kasey Kahne round out the top-five starting spots for Saturday, followed by Mike Bliss, Kenny Wallace, Scott Riggs, Randy Lajoie and Johnny Sauter.

Bodine will start 16th on Saturday. Until Thursday, when Bodine's No. 92 team garnered a six-race sponsorship deal with ESGR -- the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, there was some doubt whether Bodine would even run.

David Green, second in the series standings, 40 points behind Bodine, will start 14th. He was the winner of the last standalone Busch Series race, on April 12 at Nashville.

Kahne leads Happy Hour

In Happy Hour, held later Friday, Kahne led the field in a time of 34.581 seconds, a speed of 130.129 mph. Riggs was second at 34.667, 129.806 and Compton was third at 34.680.

Lewis was 15th at 34.917, 128.877.