Inspection improves, but not without hiccups

Brad Keselowski's No. 2 Team Penske Ford cleared inspection prior to the start of the group session and was resting on pit road when it was called back to the inspection line minutes before the first qualifying round was to begin at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NASCAR said an official saw a No. 2 crew member pull on the car's wheel wells on pit road prior to qualifying.
 
Keselowski's car was again cleared, and he returned to pit road in the midst of the qualifying session, ultimately advancing to the final round and finishing 11th.
 
"They saw something they wanted to have a closer look at back here in the template area, so we brought the car back here for them to look at," Team Penske Competition Director Travis Geisler told NASCAR.com. "They got one of the templates out they felt like maybe we weren't in compliance with and we worked with them and they worked with us to making sure everything is right. It's part of what NASCAR does best, they work really hard to make sure it's an even playing field.
 
" … It raises the pulse a little bit, but fortunately we got through all that and I don't think it impacted our performance at all."
 
Following last week's inspection delays, NASCAR shortened opening Sprint Cup practice from 85 minutes to 75 at Las Vegas, and for the ensuing races at Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway.
 
The extra time, plus an extra five minutes, was used toward the inspection process.
 
Jeff Gordon won Friday's Coors Light Pole, the 79th of his career, posting a speed of 194.679 mph. Gordon didn't log a qualifying lap last week, but his car was cleared Friday -- even though he had to go through twice.

RELATED: Gordon earns Coors Light Pole award at Las Vegas

 
"After last week and that all mess, it was great to get out there and qualify," Gordon said. "Somehow they got the cars out there this time. We had to go through twice. We know where we're trying to push the limits and where we're not, and when you don't push the limits and don't change a thing and something (measures differently), that's not good.
 
"There were a ton of cars that had to go through a second time. Luckily NASCAR shortened the practice 10 minutes, but I think maybe (this process) is going to take a while."
 
-- NASCAR.com's Holly Cain contributed to this report

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