QUALIFYING DAY REPORT
POCONO 500
POCONO RACEWAY - LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA
FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2003

PRACTICE INFORMATION:

Rusty Wallace and his Miller Lite Team Penske Dodge team are coming into this weekend's Pocono 500 here at Pocono Raceway riding a wave of momentum.

After starting on the outside pole and finishing sixth at Dover, Delaware last weekend, Rusty and his Bill Wilburn-led team have continued their competitive tear, amassing four top-10 (other a 12th) finishes and a 7.8 average over the last five races. Rusty has zoomed 10 spots up the points ladder during that period, from 18th to eighth. He has completed all but one of the possible laps (1,817 of 1,818 - 99.9 percent) and has led laps in three of those five races.

A personal trip to Charleston earlier this week didn't stop Rusty from keeping his eye on the business end. His participation in the Tuesday Dodge teleconference helped produce much publicity entering the race weekend for the four-time race winner and three-time pole winner here at Pocono.

Then on Wednesday, Rusty and his Bill Wilburn-led team ventured to Virginia International near Danville to log some laps in preparation for the road course race at Infineon Raceway in two weeks.

The weather for today's practice and qualifying is just beautiful. Morning clouds gave way to partly cloudy conditions and the temperature should reach the upper 70s. As has been the norm this season, a race weekend can't be held without enduring some negative weather. Rain is in tomorrow's forecast, but Sunday's race day forecast looks good with partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the upper 70s and only a 20 percent chance of any precipitation.

With this track's unique triangular-shaped layout, it offers the ultimate test for man and machine. The super long frontstretch is an unbelievable demand on the engine.

The test of that horsepower and durability began here this morning at 11:20 a.m. when the two-hour practice session officially kicked off the Winston Cup action on this 2.5-mile race track.

After the first hour of practice, it was defending points champ Tony Stewart on top of the speed chart with a fast lap of 52.993 seconds. He was the lone driver down into the 52-second bracket. Joe Nemechek's 53.015 was second, Jimmie Johnson's 53.108 third, Greg Biffle's 53.201 fourth and Kurt Busch's 53.236 fifth. Rusty's Penske Racing South teammate Ryan Newman was 11th with a 53.371 and Rusty 24th with a 53.741.

While Ryan's crew tweaked on their Dodge during the final hour, Rusty's team changed springs and shocks, still looking for more speed when the time ran out. When the session ended, it was still Stewart as fastest with his lap time now down to a 52.654. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second with a 52.680, Ryan third with a 52.686, Mark Martin fourth with a 52.774 and Dale Jarrett fifth with a 52.803. Rusty's 53.512 was 30th on the speed chart.

The 3:00 p.m. qualifying session is shaping up to be a dramatic one based on the order that the drivers will hit the track. Mike Wallace is first of the 45 drivers scheduled to make attempts. Martin is third, Earnhardt fourth and Stewart fifth. Rusty goes out 24th, while Ryan will be the last driver to roll.

Martin clocked in with a 52.942, then Earnhardt a 52.894 and Stewart a 52.878. Stewart held the point until his teammate, Bobby Labonte out 23rd, clocked in with a 52.845 (170.309 mph). Rusty recorded a 53.566 (168.017 mph).

Nobody threatened Labonte's time until Jimmie Johnson, out 41st in the order, knocked him off the pole with his lap of 52.741 (170.645 mph).

All the eyes were focused on Ryan and his effort to knock Johnson from the top spot. It was a great effort, but it came up just a tick short with his 52.782 (170.513 mph) lap.

So it will be Johnson and Ryan on the front row, with Labonte, Stewart and Earnhardt making up the top five. Martin, Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Kurt Busch rounded out the top 10 qualifiers. Rusty will start Sunday's race from the 27th starting spot.

Sunday's Pocono 500 has a 1:00 p.m. EDT starting time and features live coverage by Fox-TV and MRN Radio.

RUSTY'S QUOTES:

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Intrepid)
"It feels pretty good, but I just can't get any speed out of it. I don't know what's wrong. Every time this happens to me I've got to find someone to chase out there. Once I get somebody to chase I know where I'm at. I'm in the mode right now where everything feels OK. I don't understand why it's slow. You get in race trim and get out there and run with everyone and you're OK. I got a little loose off turn three. I really didn't have the grip I needed. I never had the speed I've been looking for. We've tried many combinations, gear ratios, different springs and shocks. I've been in this position before. I've just got to go out there and race and get it right. I feel like the engine is good and the body is good. We're just missing it somewhere. We'll figure it out in the first practice tomorrow. Everything is important these days. The margin is close between the pole and not the pole, so you've got to be on top of your game in qualifying."