Schrader, Allmendinger overcome quals pressure (cont'd)

"They made 14 changes for qualifying and heck, I just tried to do a lap that I thought might be good enough to get in and it worked."

NASCAR veteran Tim Fedewa said the explanation of how Allmendinger, who won five races in less than a full Champ Car World Series season in 2006, could have qualified for two short track races in a row, of all things, was simple.

"I think it's because he can manhandle the car and feel what the car itself is doing -- kind of like he'd do on a road course, like he's used to," said Fedewa, who is Allmendinger's spotter. "I think what you're seeing come out on these short tracks is his pure driving ability, because he's got a lot of it."

The brutal Nextel Cup season of 2007 continued for a number of teams trying to climb out of the chasm stretching below the top 35 in owner points, who are weekly guaranteed starters.

Front Row Motorsports' streak of futility with driver Kevin Lepage reached six races. Michael Waltrip failed to qualify for the fifth consecutive week. Ward Burton and Kenny Wallace fell short for the fourth time in six races. And Brian Vickers and Paul Menard failed for the third time this year.

On the positive side, Mike Bliss qualified his No. 49 BAM Racing Dodge for the third consecutive week, in 39th at Martinsville, after three DNQs to start the year. Jeremy Mayfield will make his second consecutive start in the No. 36 Toyota, in 13th this week, after four consecutive DNQs.

Schrader's team has a good chance of getting back into the top 35 after Sunday's race, as does Dave Blaney, who qualified 22nd in his No. 22 Toyota in his first race as a non-guaranteed car this season.

Allmendinger has a ways to go to get to 35th, as his owner, Dietrich Mateschitz, is 258 points out of that spot coming into Martinsville. So as high as he'll be Sunday morning, his overall stress is nowhere near over.

"I hate this," Allmendinger said of having to get in on his qualifying speed, and then wait until the last non-guaranteed car runs before he knows his fate. "One of these days, we're going to put down a lap that will put us second or third with no cars left and we'll have no worries and we'll be fine.

"This place is tough. You see it on TV and people tell you how tough it is, but it is a paperclip where you brake and you turn. It's really tough to get around and I'm sure the race on Sunday will get pretty hairy."

At least he's racing.