Tum's Fast Relief 500 - Martinsville Lineup

1. 99  Carl Edwards
2. 17  Matt Kenseth
3. 2    Brad Keselowski
4. 14  Tony Stewart
5. 29  Kevin Harvick
6. 18  Kyle Busch
7. 48  Jimmie Johnson
8. 22  Kurt Busch
9. 88  Dale Earnhardt Jr
10. 24  Jeff Gordon
11. 11  Denny Hamlin
12. 39  Ryan Newman
13. 33  Clunt Bowyer
14. 4    Kasey Kahne
15. 16  Greg Biffle
16. 43  A J Allmendinger
17. 9    Marcos Ambrose
18. 6    David Ragan
19. 5    Mark Martin
20. 42  Juan Montoya
21. 27  Paul Menard
22. 20  Joey Logano
23. 31  Jeff Burton
24. 56  Martin Truex Jr
25. 83  Brian Vickers
26. 78  Regan Smith
27. 1    Jamie McMurray
28. 00  David Reutimann
29. 47  Bobby Labonte
30. 51  Landon Cassill
31. 34  David Gilliland
32. 36  Dave Blaney
33. 13  Casey Mears
34. 32  Ken Schrader
35. 38  Travis Kvapil
36. 71  Hermie Sadler
37. 7    Reed Sorenson
38. 37  Mike Skinner
39. 46  Scott Speed
40. 66  Michael McDowell
41. 87  Joe Nemechek
42. 30  David Stremme
43. 55  J J Yeley

Qualifying was rained out and starting positions were set based on point standings.  There were two cars not making the field, they were the #92 of Dennis Setzer and #75 of Derrike Cope.

The Joe Gibbs Racing Qualifying Report

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Atlanta 500

Date: March 6, 2009
Event: Kobalt 500 (Race 4 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54 Mile quad-oval)
Pole Winner: Mark Martin of Hendrick Motorsports (29.64 seconds at 187.045)

JGR Lineup:
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota (Starts 6th – 29.78 seconds at 186.165 mph)
Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&Ms Toyota (Starts 9th - 29.82 seconds at 185.891 mph)
Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota (Starts 42nd – 30.47 seconds at 181.938 mph)

Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota will lead Joe Gibbs Racing’s three-car contingent to the green flag in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway after posting the sixth-best qualifying effort tonight of 29.78 seconds.

"It was a little better,” said Hamlin. “We don't typically qualify very well, so it's a good change for us."

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota was first onto the track tonight and took one lap at 29.82 seconds which held up as the ninth best effort.

"We've struggled since we unloaded and we just didn't hit it right,” said Busch. “It was loose over the bumps and tight off of (turn) four - just not a great lap really."

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota qualified 42nd with a lap of 30.47 seconds. This is Logano’s first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“I’m just really upset with myself,” said Logano. “The car bottomed out real bad. It’s frustrating, but we’ll work on the car in practice tomorrow and try to make it better.”

Mark Martin earned the pole with a lap of 29.64 seconds. Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle round out the top-five qualifiers.

The Kobalt 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, GA begins Sunday, March 8 at 2 PM ET with live, high-definition coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1:30 PM. The race will also be broadcast live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 128.
JoeGibbsRacing.com

Sam's Town 300 Qualifying Order

The qualifying order for the Sam's Town 300 ~ Las Vegas, NV
Race 3 of 35

1. 38 Jason Leffler
2. 24 Eric McClure
3. 34 Ken Butler III
4. 1 Mike Bliss
5. 07 David Green
6. 81 DJ Kennington
7. 52 Scott Gaylord
8. 62 Brendan Gaughan
9. 12 Justin Allgaier
10. 90 Johnny Chapman
11. 6 David Ragan
12. 47 Michael McDowell
13. 11 Scott Lagasse Jr
14. 60 Carl Edwards
15. 09 John Wes Townley
16. 99 Scott Speed
17. 15 Michael Annett
18. 88 Brad Keselowski
19. 29 Jeff Burton
20. 42 Kenny Hendrick
21. 05 Casey Atwood
22. 33 Kevin Harvick
23. 66 Steve Wallace
24. 61 Brandon Whitt
25. 89 Morgan Shepherd
26. 27 Jason Keller
27. 28 Kenny Wallace
28. 32 Brian Vickers
29. 34 Tony Raines
30. 20 Denny Hamlin
31. 02 Andy Ponstein
32. 22 John Borneman III
33. 49 Kertus Davis
34. 5 Dale Earnhardt Jr
35. 0 Robert Richardson Jr
36. 91 Terry Cook
37. 96 Dennis Setzer
38. 16 Greg Biffle
39. 41 Derrike Cope
40. 87 Joe Nemechek
41. 26 Brian Keselowski
42. 18 Kyle Busch
43. 40 Scott Wimmer
44. 01 Danny O'Quinn Jr
45. 84 Mike Harmon
46. 31 Stanton Barrett
47. 10 Kelly Bires

Daytona 500 Qualifying Results

The 56 cars entered into the Daytona 500 scheduled to run Feb. 15, 2009 have completed qualifying and the top two cars have been locked into the field. Here are the results:

1. 1 Martin Truex Jr
2. 5 Mark Martin
3. 39 Ryan Newman
4. 42 Juan Montoya
5. 21 Bill Elliott
6. 48 Jimmie Johnson
7. 8 Aric Almirola
8. 28 Travis Kvapil
9. 24 Jeff Gordon
10. 14 Tony Stewart
11. 96 Bobby Labonte
12. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
13. 98 Paul Menard
14. 78 Regan Smith
15. 18 Kyle Busch
16. 16 Greg Biffle
17. 82 Scott Speed
18. 00 David Reutimann
19. 87 Joe Nemechek
20. 08 Boris Said
21. 20 Joey Logano
22. 33 Clint Bowyer
23. 17 Matt Kenseth
24. 26 Jamie McMurray
25. 11 Denny Hamlin
26. 99 Carl Edwards
27. 6 David Ragan
28. 43 Reed Sorenson
29. 19 Elliott Sadler
30. 47 Marcos Ambrose
31. 31 Jeff Burton
32. 36 Scott Riggs
33. 83 Brian Vickers
34. 55 Michael Waltrip
35. 44 AJ Allmendinger
36. 34 John Andretti
37. 09 Brad Keselowski
38. 9 Kasey Kahne
39. 7 Robby Gordon
40. 07 Casey Mears
41. 12 David Stremme
42. 2 Kurt Busch
43. 41 Jeremy Mayfield
44. 77 Sam Hornish Jr
45. 27 Kirk Shelmerdine
46. 71 Mike Wallace
47. 37 Tony Raines
48. 73 Mike Garvey
49. 29 Kevin Harvick
50. 66 Terry Labonte
51. 75 Derrike Cope
52. 23 Mike Skinner
53. 51 Kelly Bires
54. 46 Carl Long
55. 64 Geoff Bodine
56. 57 Norm Benning

Daytona 500 Qualifying Order

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 can be viewed on FOX Sunday Feb. 8th @ 1PM. The qualifying order for the Daytona 500 which will run on Sunday February 15, 2009 is as follows:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. 9 Kasey Kahne
3. 12 David Stremme
4. 96 Bobby Labonte
5. 2 Kurt Busch
6. 83 Brian Vickers
7. 34 John Andretti
8. 5 Mark Martin
9. 48 Jimmie Johnson
10. 7 Robby Gordon
11. 42 Juan Montoya
12. 29 Kevin Harvick
13. 8 Aric Almirola
14. 16 Greg Biffle
15. 82 Scott Speed
16. 43 Reed Sorenson
17. 99 Carl Edwards
18. 07 Casey Mears
19. 55 Michael Waltrip
20. 00 David Reutimann
21. 31 Jeff Burton
22. 98 Paul Menard
23. 39 Ryan Newman
24. 26 Jamie McMurray
25. 6 David Ragan
26. 19 Elliott Sadler
27. 77 Sam Hornish Jr
28. 1 Martin Truex Jr
29. 47 Marcos Ambrose
30. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
31. 11 Denny Hamlin
32. 17 Matt Kenseth
33. 20 Joey Logano
34. 33 Clint Bowyer
35. 18 Kyle Busch
36. 09 Brad Keselowski
37. 41 Jeremy Mayfield
38. 73 Mike Garvey
39. 27 Kirk Shelmerdine
40. 23 Mike Wallace
41. 28 Travis Kvapil
42. 71 Mike Wallace
43. 14 Tony Stewart
44. 21 Bill Elliott
45. 64 Geoff Bodine
46. 51 Kelly Bires
47. 66 Terry Labonte
48. 08 Boris Said
49. 75 Derrike Cope
50. 78 Regan Smith
51. 87 Joe Nemechek
52. 44 AJ Allmendinger
53. 57 Norm Benning
54. 37 Tony Raines
55. 46 Carl Long
56. 36 Scott Riggs
57. 60 James Hylton

Michigan Qualifying Not What Hamlin Expected

Several hours before every qualifying session, a representative for each driver goes to the qualifying draw. There, each driver's representative is given a chance at drawing a numbered ball that decides what position that driver will go out to qualify. The trick is to draw a high number. The higher the number, the better chance you have at starting at the front.

For those drivers outside the Top 35 in Owner's Points, it's a bit of a mute point. It's a well known fact that the drivers that are in the "go or go home" portion of qualifying have a slight advantage over the rest of the field. While they must qualify on time or they miss the race, the fact that they go after the rest of the cars have laid down rubber on the track and have optimal track conditions does work in their favor.

Denny Hamlin needs to fire whoever drew his qualifying spot this week. He went out 4th and quickly fell back in the field. His qualifying time of 183.491 was -1.050 seconds behind Brian Vickers time of 188. 536. Hamlin made it around the 2 mile oval in 39.239 seconds while Vickers clocked a time of 38. 189. With that vast a difference between Hamlin and the pole sitter, he will have to start the 3M Performance 400 from 37th position. He will be flanked by the #15 of Paul Menard and fellow Chaser Kevin Harvick in his #29 Chevrolet. Clint Bowyer, also fighting for a spot in the top 12 will roll off the grid in 41st.

Brian Vickers grabbed his 5th Pole position, his first at Michigan. He will be joined by Jimmie Johnson, Elliott Sadler, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon.

While the idea of making his way to the front of the field isn't totally out of the question, the Fed Ex Office crew will certainly have their work cut out for them. Over half of the winners of past races at the 2-mile Oval at Michigan have come from the Top 5, not good statistics for the struggling 11 team.

If anyone can pull off the near impossible, it is Denny Hamlin. Crew Chief Mike Ford has the knowledge to make wise choices and to use pit strategy to his driver's advantage. So don't hit the panic button just yet. Hamlin has come from behind to cement a solid finish before and he is more than capable of doing it again.

Hamlin's goal for Sunday's race, get to the front and stay there. His job in the meantime, find someone else to draw the qualifying spot for next week. Maybe Denny forgot to walk around his chair 3 times before he sat down to breakfast this morning. Sounds like he better monitor that a little closer next week.