Mike Skinner was the only driver to eclipse 178 mph. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Toyotas dominate qualifying at Fontana

FONTANA, Calif. -- Mike Skinner moved into a tie for second on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' all-time Bud Pole list when he captured the top starting position Friday afternoon for the American Racing Wheels 200 at California Speedway.

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The second event of the season is the 2005 debut of a scheduling procedure that slated qualifying on the morning before the race, which is set for Friday evening at 9:15 p.m. ET.

Skinner, a native of Susanville, Calif., won his third pole for Toyota, the manufacturer's first of the season and the 18th of his career when he turned a lap in 40.400 seconds, an average speed of 178.218 mph in his No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Tundra.

Mike Bliss also has 18 Truck Series poles, eight behind three-time champion Jack Sprague's total of 26.

Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Skinner's lap was .061 seconds faster than David Starr, who was second at 177.949 mph.

"When David Starr put that lap up there I thought no one's going to beat that," Skinner said. "It was pretty awesome and I saw that he ran wide open through (Turns) 1 and 2.

"I said 'If you're going to have a shot at him you're going to (do the same).' We did that and it was really, really loose coming off 2 (but) when I got to 3 and 4 it was a little better.

"I got back to the start/finish line and I stopped. I said 'That's enough for me -- I can't hold my breath any more.' That Toyota Tundra has a lot of steam."

Toyotas swept the next three positions on the grid with David Reutimann (177.866 mph), Robert Huffman (177.419) and Brandon Whitt (177.009) rounding out the top five.

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The effort was Whitt's career best.

Jimmy Spencer's Dodge qualified sixth (176.939 mph) and Todd Kluever had the fastest Ford in seventh (176.700).

Derrike Cope and Jason Rudd were the only trucks that did not qualify for the 36-truck field.

Up to four drivers may have to forfeit their qualifying positions due to various procedural violations.

Chase Montgomery (20th) and Todd Bodine (26th) will go to the rear due to engine changes while Kelly Sutton will lose her 30th position for an unapproved adjustment -- a tire change necessitated by a spin on her second qualifying lap.

Bliss qualified Sprague's truck in 11th. Sprague has broken left heel, suffered in an on accident at home on Wednesday.

If Sprague gets into the truck to start the race, h will also have to drop to the end of his line on the grid.