NASCAR "Nationwide Notes": Qualifying Highlights at Texas Motor Speedway

With the smell of Cup car’s tires still in the air, and Jeff Gordon’s taking the pole barely celebrated, the Nationwide series drivers took the track at Texas Motor Speedway for time trials to determine starting positions for their race.

Here are some of the "Nationwide Notes" from today's qualifying session:

Carl Edwards

lurking just behind Clint Bowyer for the Nationwide Championship ran an insanely fast lap at over 188 miles per hour. Edwards like Jeff Gordon secured his first pole at Texas with an amazing like lightning lap of 28.70. This pole was also Edwards' 14th pole in 139 races.

Clint Bowyer

In contrast the Edwards almost lost control, barely missing the wall in qualifying.  Although he had a great save, he would end up with the 21st qualifying spot.

Brad Keselowski

Third in line to be crown the Nationwide Champion this year. Keselowski had a descent run at qualifying and will start in 14th position.

Kevin Harvick

Wanted desperately to qualify on the pole for the race in his own KHI No. 33 car.  Happy will have to settle for outside pole, as he qualified second to Edwards.

Bobby Hamilton, Jr.

Limping along with Team Rensi, managed to bust out a great lap, qualifying in the third position.  Of note He did that without a sponsor, as he has agreed to fund the team for the final three races out of his own pocket.

Hamilton Jr. put friend and supporter Wide Open Energy Drink on the car as a thank you to that company.  But going forward, he has no sponsorship and basically was begging in his pre-qualifying run interview to send him funding in any denomination, $25 and $50 were even acceptable. 

Kyle Busch
Is doing the triple again, running in all three series at Texas.  He qualified in the fourth position to start the race.

Joey Logano

Is also working hard for the weekend. Logano qualified in the eighth position for the Nationwide race. He also finally got the opportunity to attempt to qualify his way into the Cup race and did so.

Justin Allgaier

The 2008 ARCA REMAX series champ, had to qualify his way into the race on time.  In the Penske 12 Mobil car, Justin had a great run to secure the 13th starting position in the race.

Allgaier will run the rest of the Nationwide races for this season and plans to run a partial season next year.

Knock Out Qualifying: Several drivers did not make it in on time and had to pack their cars up and make the long trek home. 

The drivers who did not make the race included John Wes Townley, Johnny Sauter, Mike Harmon, Justin Hobgood, Kenny Hendrick, and Morgan Shepherd.

The Nationwide race starting top 10 are as follows:

1.   Carl Edwards

2.   Kevin Harvick

3.   Bobby Hamilton, Jr.

4.   Kyle Busch

5.   David Stremme

6.   Mark Martin

7.   Stephen Leicht

8.   Joey Logano

9.   Jason Leffler

10.  Brian Vickers