Adrian Fernandez (left) shares a moment with David Green before qualifying in Mexico City. Credit: Autostock

Notebook: Fernandez in field despite crash

Mexico's most famous driver still confident about Sunday's race

MEXICO CITY -- With many cars sliding off the track or crashing this weekend, stock-car rookie Adrian Fernandez drove like a veteran.

Fernandez was both fast and precise in Friday's practices, leading the final session with a scintillating lap. Mexico's favorite son had made few mistakes, positioning himself as a favorite in Sunday's Telcel Motorola 200 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Jorge Goeters shows off his Busch Pole Award. Credit: VPS/Autostock

Lineup: Telcel Motorola 200 Pos. Driver Speed 1. J. Goeters 103.366 mph 2. R. Gordon 103.174 3. M. Truex Jr. 103.109 4. B. Said 103.079 5. R. Fellows 103.079 * -- Complete lineup, click here Mexico City native Jorge Goeters wins the pole for the Mexico 200 Michel Jourdain qualifies 18th in his backup car Rusty Wallace runs a conservative qualifying lap Armadno Fitz piensa que NASCAR es justificado en ir a Mexico Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

But then came qualifying.

Fernandez, to the dismay of his fans, crashed the No. 5 Chevrolet and will be forced to start the race from the rear of the field.

"I went out and the car was very loose," Fernandez said. "I've never had a car like that. I was trying to do a quick lap, and I probably pushed the car too much. I was surprised because the car has been so consistent all weekend. But we'll still have another car, a great car, and tomorrow we should be fine."

Fernandez, making a one-off appearance with Hendrick Motorsports, wasn't sure about the backup car. But he remains confident despite having to start 40th.

"Hendrick Motorsports is the best team out there, and I'm sure that car will be fine for tomorrow," Fernandez said.

Robby Gordon didn't seem to mind being bumped from the pole by Jorge Goeters. Gordon had but his No. 83 on the provisional pole with a quick lap of 103.174 mph, but Goeters thrilled his hometown crowd with a lap of 103.366.

"I think it's great," Gordon said. "I'm happy about my qualifying effort, but I'm also happy for him to drive and qualify so good in Mexico. It's an important race for him. This will only add more fans to the grandstands."

The pole would have been Gordon's first in the Busch Series, but he seems to be more interested in winning Sunday's race.

"I'm excited about the race and I'm excited that there are such quality drivers down in Mexico that with very little experience can come out and be very competitive," Gordon said. "I did not have a guaranteed spot in this race so I had to be a little conservative. I made sure we never got off the racetrack because then we'd have to go home.

Robby Gordon will have to go to the rear of the field Sunday after an engine change. Credit: Getty Images/Donald Miralle

"The race is more important. I'd be happy with qualifying anywhere from first to 15th just to be in the show. There are so many cars and the series is so competitive that you can't make any mistakes. We know we're pretty good in race conditions."

Gordon said the key to winning Sunday would be tires in the 80-lap race.

"You'll have to get the most out of your car and save the tires for long runs," Gordon said. "The first 60 laps of the race don't matter for me. I only care about the last 20 laps."

Carl Edwards' wicked crash Friday ended up sending him to a local hospital later that night. Edwards clipped a curb in the frontstretch chicane and slammed into the concrete barrier.

	TELCEL MOTOROLA 200 •   Entry List •   Mexico City event page •   Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez ALSO •   Fernandez to drive Hendrick car in Mexico City Busch race •   Jeff Burton wraps up Busch test in Mexico •   NASCAR establishes NASCAR Mexico

He walked back to the garage after the wreck and turned some laps in the backup car. But Edwards had a bad headache and felt nauseous later in the day.

"I have to thank everybody at the hospital and especially the NASCAR medical liaison folks," said Edwards, who qualified ninth in the backup. "We see them around every week, and personally, I say 'Hi,' but I didn't really grasp until yesterday what they can do for you, and they made me feel so comfortable.

"They went through all of the precautionary tests and did everything and stayed right there with me the whole time. Luckily everything was great. I checked out fine."

Edwards underwent a CT scan and said waiting on the results "made me more nervous than any racing I could have done." But the presence of a local neurosurgeon helped ease Edwards' worry.

"I didn't expect that level of comfort in a foreign country," Edwards said, "and it really amazed me."

Kevin Harvick shook off an unknown illness to qualify his No. 21 Chevrolet sixth. Most competitors in Mexico have avoided being sick, but Harvick wasn't so lucky.

Despite a sixth-place qualifying lap, Kevin Harvick said Saturday afternoon that he still didn't feel well. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

"I feel terrible, man," Harvick said. "I got sick last night, and I don't feel very good."

Harvick has avoided trouble on the track, unlike several of his fellow drivers. He should be a contender Sunday.

"My hat's off to these guys for working so hard all week," Harvick said. "We're just trying to keep the fenders on it and keep all the tires on the track and do everything we can do to keep going in a straight line. When it was time to go, we went good."

Canadian Ron Fellows on Mexican Goeters winning the pole: "It's great for Jorge here in Mexico. If we get a race in Canada, maybe it'll be my turn."