 | | David Stremme starts 17th on Sunday. Credit: Autostock |
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
May 1, 2006
06:33 PM EDT (22:33 GMT)
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Saturday's Nextel Cup qualifying was a mere formality for more than three-quarters of the field Saturday, but don't tell that to David Stremme, who will roll off 17th.  |  | | Credit: Autostock |
| |
| Lineup |
| Aaron's 499 |
| Pos. |
Driver |
Make |
Speed |
| 1. |
E. Sadler |
Ford |
188.511 |
| 2. |
T. Stewart |
Chevy |
187.658 |
| 3. |
C. Edwards |
Ford |
187.320 |
| 4. |
D. Jarrett |
Ford |
187.322 |
| 5. |
K. Busch |
Dodge |
187.137 |
|
|
 |
"My right foot was shaking so bad," he said of his run that earned him a spot in Sunday's Aaron's 499. "It wasn't because it was on the floor. It was just making it in. "We've got good people and good cars. We've just got to start showing results. I believe we can." Stremme was the fastest of the eight cars that had to race their way in. Those who failed to make Sunday's show included Morgan Shepherd, Stanton Barrett, Mike Wallace, Chad Blount, Brent Sherman and Kenny Wallace. With Rusty visiting the infield media center as a recent retiree, it marked the first time since 1983 that a driver named Wallace wasn't in a Talladega field. Remembering Dale on his day Dale Earnhardt would have been 55 on Saturday, and the black No. 8 driven by son Dale Jr. evoked some reactions from other drivers. "We always miss racing against him," Tony Stewart said. "The two years I got to spend around him ... he was a great friend and really nice to me. That's something I'll always remember and appreciate." Junior not worried about starting 27th If Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to win a sixth time at Talladega, he'll have to do it from a starting position of 27th. He's started that far back only two other times at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. "We got a good car," Junior said. "I don't know why we qualified so slow. We ran about three-tenths faster than that yesterday when we made our [practice] run. "You just can't never tell what you're going to get here in qualifying. I ain't really worried about it. The car will be fine and we'll have a lot of fun on Sunday." Busch has the best Dodge Kurt Busch was fifth-fastest in qualifying, leaving his No. 2 as the lone Dodge in the first 16 starting spots. "I tore [this car] up at Daytona, so [the crew] had to rebuild it and they've done a good job," Busch said. "I think this is a good top-five car. If we're there at the end, we'll see." Joe OK with third row With the bad luck he's had this season, Joe Nemechek was pleased to qualify sixth in the No. 01 Chevrolet. "Our goal is just to finish the race," Nemechek said. "If we can finish it without having any issues, it will be a huge accomplishment for our team. "It just seems like this year, we've been caught up in wrecks and if debris will fly off somebody's car, it normally hits ours." Martin: Mayhem guaranteed NASCAR's new rules may limit the amount of bump drafting Sunday, but Mark Martin said don't expect that to change the way drivers attack Talladega. "It'll be tamer, but the race won't be tamer," Martin said. "We're gonna figure out another way to be reckless and make smoke and have disaster. That's the nature of this Talladega business." Mountaineer miner visits speedway Randal McCloy Jr., the only survivor of the Sago, W. Va., mine explosion that killed 12 of his co-workers, is attending this weekend's races as guest of Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership president Ken Butler. Butler extended the invitation to the McCloy family a month ago when he learned they were NASCAR fans. As part of his recovery process, McCloy's doctors have encouraged him to spend as much time with his family as possible and to enjoy as much rest and relaxation as he can. Happy Birthday to me Elliott Sadler was pleased to win his third Bud Pole on Saturday at Talladega, but he's hoping to give himself a birthday present with a victory Sunday. He'll turn 31. | 
