Despite breaking his own track record, Ryan Newman will start second Saturday night. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Newman best among Chasers in Lowe's quals

Whatever Saturday night's UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway might hold for the 10 Chase competitors, it will be decided from the front.

Six Chasers qualified in the top eight spots for Saturday night's race, including points leader Tony Stewart and second-place Ryan Newman. The other four, including third-place Greg Biffle and fourth-place Rusty Wallace, could do no better than 18th.

Inside the Chase Point standings entering Lowe's Driver Behind Qualified T. Stewart -- 4 R. Newman -75 2 G. Biffle -88 21 R. Wallace -90 27 J. Johnson -92 3 C. Edwards -95 8 M. Martin -113 6 M. Kenseth -116 18 J. Mayfield -157 37 Ku. Busch -224 7 Note: Johnson will start at the back of the field because of a blown engine in practice. Outside poleNewman to start second despite breaking his old track record Highs and Lowe'sJohnson qualifies 3rd at LMS, but will start at the back Second rowPoints leader Tony Stewart qualifies fourth at Lowe's Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Newman, who has never started worse than fourth at Lowe's (his average start is an astounding 2.111 in nine starts), broke the track record on his lap at 27.961 seconds, 193.126 miles per hour and looked to have the pole locked up for Dodge, but Elliott Sadler knocked him off with a lap at 27.948 seconds, 193.216 mph a short time later.

Newman's starting numbers certainly are gaudy, but his finishing average is a bit more pedestrian. He averages 19.111 per finish at Lowe's.

Jimmie Johnson went out late and slotted in just behind Newman with a lap at 28.001 seconds, 192.850 mph in his Chevrolet. Winner of the last three races there, Johnson's average start is 9.250 and his average finish is an equally gaudy 7.375.

Tony Stewart, who wadded up a pair of cars at Lowe's in a test session, certainly didn't show any ill effects, putting the No. 20 Chevrolet fourth with a lap at 28.022 seconds, 192.706 mph. Stewart, one of five drivers in the Chase to have won at Lowe's, averages 9.923 per starting position and has amassed an average finish of 10.265 in his 13 starts. Both those averages are third-best among Chasers.

Last week's winner at Kansas, Mark Martin, kept the momentum up with a sixth-place qualifying run, better than his average of 10.975 in 41 starts. His lap at 28.123 seconds, 192.014 mph sets him up to improve on his 16.349 average finish at Lowe's.

Kurt Busch, still trying to get untracked as the Chase hits the halfway point, qualified strong in seventh with a lap at 28.131 seconds, 191.959 mph. Busch's averages at Lowe's leave a lot to be desired; his starting average of 27.900 is last among Chasers, and his finishing average of 20.400 is ninth.

Tracks like Charlotte seem to bring out the best in Carl Edwards, who nabbed the eighth spot with a lap at 28.145 seconds, 191.864 mph. His run on Thursday bettered his average start to 10.000 in two starts, and he'll see if he can improve on his Chaser-best average finish (3.000) Saturday. Of course, Edwards only has the one start at Lowe's.

Matt Kenseth, another driver whose averages aren't exactly awe-inspiring at Lowe's, checked in 18th in the No. 17 Ford with a lap at 28.315, 190.712 mph. Kenseth, who has a victory at Lowe's, averages 24.750 per start and a healthy 14.750 per finish on the 1.5-mile levigated surface.

Greg Biffle, who jumped a spot to third in the points after last week's runner-up at Kansas, was 21st at 28.348 seconds, 190.490 mph in the No. 16 Ford. Biffle's 25.000 starting average is ninth among Chasers, and his finishing average of 18.600 is seventh.

Rusty Wallace, still hanging tough in fourth, put the Miller Lite Dodge 27th in his final qualifying laps at Lowe's. His lap at 28.447 seconds, 189.827 mph will lower his 16.531 average start (in 47 races), and his average finish of 16.170 could use a boost with a good run Saturday.

Jeremy Mayfield continued to struggle in qualifying, posting a lap in 28.583 seconds, 188.923 mph to start 37th. Mayfield averages 21.869 per Lowe's start, and his average finish is an amazingly similar 21.826.

In terms of manufacturers, Dodge was tops among Chasers with Newman, and it was worst among Chasers with Wallace and Mayfield. The Chevrolets of Johnson and Stewart were third and fourth, respectively, while the Fab Five Fords ranked sixth, seventh, eighth, 18th and 21st.