QUALIFYING DAY REPORT
BASS PRO SHOPS/MBNA 500 ­ ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2003

PRACTICE INFORMATION:

After crashing out of last Sunday's race at Las Vegas, finishing 40th and falling to 22nd in the point standings, Rusty Wallace and his Miller Lite/Penske South team are looking at this weekend's stop at Atlanta as an opportunity to catch up.

"We've been faced with having to come from behind many times," Rusty told Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Rick Minter in the team hauler this morning. "What happened at Vegas is behind us and we're confident we can turn it around here this weekend."

This track has been known for having its schedule hampered by the weather through the years and that was the case once again here at Atlanta this weekend. All of yesterday's ARCA action fell victim to wet weather.

The rain finally stopped here just after 8:30 a.m. and the track officials immediately started the drying process. Officials scrapped the scheduled ARCA practice and qualifying and established the starting field for tomorrow's race here by last year's final point standings.

The jet dryers were still on the track at 11:20 a.m., when Winston Cup practice was scheduled to begin. The Cup cars finally took to the track for practice at 11:40 a.m.

Rusty and Penske Racing South teammate Ryan Newman showed strength quickly after practice began and their early fast speeds continued to hold up.

With an hour remaining in practice, Ryan's 28.895 (-second lap) was atop the speed chart. Last week's race winner Matt Kenseth's 28.963 was second, Elliott Sadler's was third with a 28.970, Gregg Biffle fourth with a 28.971 and Rusty fifth with a 29.114.

Moisture on the racing surface once again became an issue here with some 40 minutes remaining in practice. But this time, it wasn't rain that halted the action. Instead, the red flag was flown in order to dry a seeping spot in the asphalt at the end of the tri-oval area of the track.

Practice resumed with less than 30 minutes remaining and it was evident that the track had slowed considerably. The temperature was getting warmer and the sun had started peaking through the clouds.

"It's a lot slower," Rusty's crew chief Bill Wilburn radioed in after Rusty had turned in a 29.400 on his final run. "Everybody's putting on stickers, making their banzais and running slower."

The consensus was that the track was some three tenths of a second slower at the conclusion of practice, witnessed by Ryan's last lap of 29.217 seconds.

The ARCA cars took to the track after Cup practice had concluded and were to practice almost up to the 3:05 p.m.
Winston Cup qualifying session.

By luck of the draw, Ricky Craven will be the first to make his run against the clock. Ryan goes 15th and Rusty will be 40th of the 45 drivers scheduled to make qualifying attempts.

Bobby Labonte, out fifth, was the fastest of the early qualifiers with a 29.088 (190.594 mph) and held the point when Ryan took to the track. Ryan clocked in with a 28.963 (191.417 mph) to turn all the heads.

Elliott Sadler, out 20th, was a threat with his 29.044. Bill Elliott proved a real threat with his 28.991 (191.232 mph).

Rusty was impressive with his 29.191 (189.922 mph) and was assured of a great starting spot.

A sigh of relief came from the Penske camp after Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s attempt fell flat and Jamie McMurray wasn't a threat.

Ryan picked up his first pole of the year and eighth of his young career here today. Elliott will join him on the outside of the front row in Sunday's race. Sadler starts third, with Labonte fourth and Jimmy Spencer fifth. Michael Waltrip starts sixth, with Rusty seventh, Tonyy Stewart eighth, Kurt Busch ninth and Jeremy Mayfield 10th.

RUSTY'S QUOTES:

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Intrepid)
"On the first lap I touched the apron too much in the middle of one and two and got the car wiggling. I had to back out of the throttle just a little bit and that hurt me. If not for that, we might have been right there with Ryan. It was a good run, and I'm happy with it. The Dodges are qualifying good and they raced good last week. I'm happy with them."