DARLINGTON, S.C. - Rookie Kasey Kahne won his second Nextel Cup pole in five tries Friday, adding the top qualifying spot at Darlington Raceway for Sunday's Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 to the one he took two weeks ago in Las Vegas.
"That car was just perfect, and it felt like we made a perfect lap," said Kahne, who went 171.716 mph. "But ... we weren't expecting to get two poles already this season."
This one came on the treacherous 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval made even trickier by the installation of the new SAFER barriers on the outside wall in all four turns.
The steel and foam barriers, designed to cushion the impact of a crash, extend out from the concrete walls about 30 inches. That's not much at most tracks, but it has considerably narrowed the already tight Darlington turns.
Several drivers hit the barriers, including Michael Waltrip in qualifying and Ryan Newman in practice.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified second at 171.154 mph.
Brack might run at Indy
AVONDALE, Ariz. - Kenny Brack said he might be recovered from a devastating crash in time to drive in the Indianapolis 500. He said he will rehab for a few more days before deciding.
Brack nearly died in a 220 mph crash in October at Texas Motor Speedway. The in-car computer registered an unprecedented impact - 193 times the force of gravity - when Brack's car flew into a fence and disintegrated. He broke his spine, ribs, right thigh, breastbone and both ankles.
In other news, Scott Dixon ran the fastest lap in the only full practice day for Sunday's Copper World Indy 200. Dixon ran at 175.432 mph on the mile oval.
BUSCH SERIES: Kyle Busch, 18, won the first pole of his career, beating Kasey Kahne by .003 seconds for today's Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington.
