RICHMOND, Va. - The track record fell again and again in qualifying at Richmond International Raceway, but two drivers also crashed Friday when the new asphalt went from grippy to slippery.
Twenty-nine drivers broke Ward Burton's 2-year-old record of 127.389 mph, led by rookie Brian Vickers. He got his first career pole with a lap at 129.983.
"Everything just came together for us," said Vickers, who will start his 16th Nextel Cup race. "The track didn't bite us like it did some of these guys. It was a good, smooth, patient but aggressive lap."
Ricky Craven and rookie Kasey Kahne crashed early in the session, causing others to turn conservative instead of trying for the pole on the 0.75-mile oval.
"I worried about everybody being so loose and I drove it too easy," said Rusty Wallace, who starts seventh tonight in the Chevy American Revolution 400." ... I was waiting for it to go all over the place, and it didn't do it. I didn't hustle it enough."
Left to bake in sunshine for more than 11/2 hours after a practice in which 22 drivers surpassed 130 mph, the slick track surprised some of the first to make their qualifying laps.
Not among them was Ryan Newman, one of the Nextel Cup series' top qualifiers, whose lap was good enough to earn him the No. 2 spot.
"Going out first was not exactly what we wanted to do," said Newman, whose qualifying speed was 129.970 mph, well off his fastest lap of 132.567 in practice.
That lap was easily tops among all drivers, but also came before oil rose to the top as the asphalt baked.
Craven, fourth in the qualifying order, spun during his second trip around and crashed into the outside wall coming out of Turn 4.
Kahne, second-fastest in practice, also spun in the same spot and will start at the rear of the field in a backup car.
"I should have maybe left a little bit out there instead of trying for the pole," Kahne said. "Sometimes it'll bite you when you do that."
NHRA: Tony Pedregon clocked the fastest Funny Car speed in history with a pass of 329.83 mph in a track-record time of 4.765 seconds in qualifying for the Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga. David Grubnic (Top Fuel) also set a track record of 4.469 seconds in the quarter-mile. Larry Morgan (6.796, Pro Stock) also set a track mark and Andrew Hines led Pro Stock Bike.
