 | | Crew chief Jimmy Elledge will have to guide Reed Sorenson from the 35th-starting spot at Pocono. Credit: Autostock |
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
June 10, 2006
06:19 PM EDT (22:19 GMT)
LONG POND, Pa. -- While James Dennis Hamlin was accepting congratulations for conquering a lap at Pocono on his very first try, Reed Sorenson was in the other direction.  |
| Pocono 500 |
| Happy Hour Speeds |
| Pos. |
Driver |
Speed |
Time |
| 1. |
J. Burton |
167.617 |
53.694 |
| 2. |
K. Kahne |
166.282 |
54.125 |
| 3. |
B. Vickers |
166.174 |
54.160 |
| 4. |
D. Hamlin |
165.660 |
54.328 |
| 5. |
C. Edwards |
165.660 |
54.328 |
| 6. |
J. Johnson |
165.642 |
54.334 |
| 7. |
Dale Jr. |
165.469 |
54.391 |
| 8. |
J. McMurray |
165.238 |
54.467 |
| 9. |
Ku. Busch |
165.219 |
54.473 |
| 10. |
K. Harvick |
165.132 |
54.502 |
|
|
 |
Sorenson admittedly was feeling his way around the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway during Saturday's twin practices, but he did make some strides after qualifying a lowly 35th. Sorenson was one of four rookies that qualified 24th or worse. Hamlin was the only one who qualified in the top 10. Brian Vickers continued to set a torrid pace for the weekend at Pocono -- he easily led the second practice and was third-best in Happy Hour. Sorenson was 23rd in each practice. If anything, Sorenson can afford to take his time in adapting to Pocono. He is 21st in the standings, too low to realistically fight for a Chase spot, but not in danger of falling out of the top 35 in points. "I have never been here before and we just didn't do anything out of control, just kind of took it easy and we are better [Saturday]," Sorenson said. "I am definitely still learning things about the track. Just trying to figure it out." |
| Reed Sorenson |
| Finishes in 2006 |
| No. |
Cup |
Busch |
| 1. |
29 |
9 |
| 2. |
21 |
11 |
| 3. |
40 |
36 |
| 4. |
10 |
10 |
| 5. |
22 |
42 |
| 6. |
12 |
27 |
| 7. |
13 |
13 |
| 8. |
40 |
19 |
| 9. |
26 |
2 |
| 10. |
23 |
17 |
| 11. |
11 |
36 |
| 12. |
10 |
23 |
| 13. |
19 |
21 |
| 14. |
|
10 |
| Points |
21 |
12 |
|
 | SUPERSTORE | |
|
It has been a decent -- if unspectacular -- rookie year for Sorenson, who has a pair of 10th-place finishes. In some ways, his season has been better than his concurrent Busch season, where he sits a disappointing 12th in the points. Sorenson left immediately after Happy Hour at Pocono to head to Saturday's Busch event at Nashville, where Sorenson won in 2005 and finished second this spring. Some of the struggles on the Busch side, Sorenson said, are a result of Chip Ganassi Racing falling behind on aerodynamics. But last month, Casey Mears threatened to win at Charlotte in a Busch car, and Sorenson said his success would solve some problems. "We haven't really done anything and we didn't get worse, we just fell behind everyone else," Sorenson said. "We have got to start turning it around sometime soon. "But we have not changed anything on our cars and we fell behind. We built a new car that Casey drove for Charlotte, and he almost won. We had it in the [wind] tunnel the other day and it was pretty good." Mears announced this week that he was leaving Chip Ganassi Racing after four seasons and during that time, he developed a close relationship with Sorenson, who is nearly 10 years younger. When Mears was moved to the No. 42 Dodge this season, it was Sorenson who took over his old job in the No. 41. "We are good friends and we are friends on and off the track, we hang out and stuff," Sorenson said. "I am upset that he is leaving because I'd like to have him as a teammate, but everyone has got to do what they have got to do." | 
