RUSTY STARTS 20TH SUNDAY AT CHICAGOLAND

Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace was in the Chicagoland area late yesterday afternoon, getting ready for this weekend's Tropicana 400 here at Chicagoland Speedway.

The first item on his busy schedule was an appearance for Miller Brewing Company at the Empress Casino in Joliet, Ill., last night. Rusty appeared, along with Miller "legends" Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker and Miller High Life-sponsored Grand National driver Jason Keller.

"It was a fun time, with all the guys telling all their old racing stories," Rusty reported this morning in the garage just prior to the start of the 11:20 a.m. practice session. "Bill Weber was the emcee and he did a great job keeping the show going."

Several of the questions from the appreciative audience concerned the special Miller Lite Puddle of Mudd color scheme that Rusty is running on his Dodge here this weekend.

While this area has been in an almost drought condition for the last two weeks, rain was back in the forecast for today through Sunday.

There was little to worry about weather-wise when the NEXTEL Cup practice session began here this morning at 11:20 a.m. Current points leader Jimmie Johnson was fast from the start of the session all the way through.

Just after 12:25 p.m., Hermie Sadler blew an engine and Tony Stewart crashed hard after getting into the oil Sadler had dropped. The red flag flew for some 20 minutes as the track crew cleaned up all the debris. Stewart was forced to go to his backup car.

When practice concluded at 1:20 p.m., it was Johnson who remained atop the speed chart with his fast lap of 29.106 seconds (185.529 mph). Rookie sensation Kasey Kahne was second with a 29.117, Mark Martin third with a 29.268, Jeff Gordon fourth with a 29.315 and Elliott Sadler fifth with a 29.350.

Rusty clocked in with the 10th fastest practice lap - a 29.499.

Clouds moved in from the west as the Busch Series qualifying began at 1:30 p.m. Less than half of those competitors had made their runs when a strong thunderstorm hit the track at 2:15 p.m. The rain ended just before 3:00 p.m. and officials sent the jet blowers out to begin the track-drying process.

It was shortly after 4:00 p.m. when the track crew completed the drying chores and the Busch Series qualifying continued until completion.

It wasn't until just after 5:00 p.m. when Todd Bodine rolled out onto the track to kick up NEXTEL Cup qualifying. Brian Vickers, the third driver out, was the first to turn heads as he ran a lap of 29.070 seconds.

Stewart was a big surprise as he clocked in with a 29.157 in his backup Chevrolet.

Kasey Kahne was the next driver to turn heads. Going out 10th in the order, he ran a 28.897 (186.871 mph) to have garage insiders already prepared to give him his fifth pole of the season.

His time held up until Jeff Gordon, going out 30th in the order, turned in a lap of 28.886 seconds (186.942 mph).

Rusty clocked in with a 29.301, almost two tenths faster than his practice lap - yet only 19th fastest at the time.

When the qualifying concluded just before 7:00 p.m., it was Gordon claiming his third consecutive pole position and Kahne grabbing the outside-front-row starting spot. Johnson starts third, with Vickers fourth, Greg Biffle fifth, Jeff Burton sixth, Mike Bliss seventh, Ryan Newman eighth, Joe Nemechek ninth and Stewart 10th. Rusty will start from the 20th starting spot.

Sunday's Tropicana 400 has a 2:30 p.m. CDT starting time and features live coverage by NBC-TV and MRN Radio.

POST-RACE QUOTES:

"Well, we were 10th fastest in practice and we picked up two tenths. You'd think that we could have maybe held our own at least. There were a bunch of guys out there who picked up a half second or more and that's pretty surprising. We'll start 20th and go from there. This is a good racecar and I'm confident that we can get it in prime shape for Sunday's race. We're just hoping that the weather will cooperate in the morning and we'll be able to get in some practice in race trim. If we can do that, I think we'll be in good shape for the race."