LA TIMES
Ryan Newman, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series’ premier qualifier from his rookie year in 2002 through 2005, piling up 35 poles, had only two last year — none after taking the top qualifying spot at New Hampshire in July.
But Friday night he looked like the driver of old, turning a fast lap of 193.124 mph in a Dodge that was nearly 1 1/2 mph faster than runner-up Elliott Sadler’s 191.894 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. They’ll start on the first row for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500.
The fast lap, besides earning Newman his 38th pole, gave him his seventh Atlanta pole and ninth front row start in 10 tries on the fast 1.5-mile oval.
