Sadler has clean run for Allstate 400 pole
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Elliott Sadler avoided the wiggles, wobbles and technical problems that plagued other drivers qualifying for The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The changing track conditions didn’t slow him down, either.
Sadler used a clean run and perfectly timed cloud cover to his advantage Saturday, posting a fast lap of 184.186 mph for his second pole of the NASCAR season.
Sadler was one of the fortunate drivers on Indianapolis’ storied 2.5-mile oval.
Three drivers – last year’s pole-winner Casey Mears, Jimmy Spencer and Rusty Wallace – all crashed, while rookie Boris Said bounced off the wall and still qualified.
Points leader Jimmie Johnson didn’t even get that chance. His car failed inspection twice because of a dangling chain in the rear end and then ran out of time when he couldn’t beat the five-minute limit to get back in line.
To Sadler’s surprise, nobody even challenged him. Jeremy Mayfield was second with a lap of 183.063. Sadler won his first pole since Bristol on April 3 despite being significantly slower than Mears’ record lap of 186.293, set last year.
Kasey Kahne qualified fourth just hours after announcing he’d signed a long-term contract to drive for Ray Evernham.
Brian Vickers will start fifth, on the inside of Row 3, next to Indiana native Ryan Newman.
Defending race champion Jeff Gordon qualified seventh for what he hopes will be a history-making run. Gordon is trying to become the first five-time race winner at Indianapolis.
“Just the four is really impressive,” said Gordon, who has been in a slump and needs a strong performance on Sunday. “To do a fifth would be unbelievable.”
On Saturday morning, Mears had the fastest practice lap, 184.873, and was expected to challenge for his second straight Brickyard pole. But his car wiggled in the first turn, and he lost control coming out of the third turn, hitting the outside wall. He did not finish the qualifying run and will start 40th based on car owner points.
“The car got loose getting into three, and I just got up in the marbles,” Mears said.
Johnson will start 42nd and Wallace, who is retiring after this season, will start 41st in final race at Indy.
“Being on the pole at the Brickyard is one step closer to a dream,” Sadler said. “I really want to kiss the bricks. That was our mind-set when we came here.”