The Herald Bulletin

Morning Update

Pro Sports

Discussion

July 30, 2010

Stewart wins pole at Pocono

By Genaro C. Armas Associated Press

LONG POND, Pa. — Tony Stewart unbuttoned the top button on his racing suit and let out a sigh.

Qualifying for the pole always makes a trip to Pocono Raceway more fun. Stewart zipped his No. 14 Chevy for a qualifying lap Friday of 171.393 mph around the 2.5-mile triangle track to start from the top for Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500.

“Man, it felt good,” Stewart said. “If you want a place where you want good track position, it’s here at Pocono.”

Juan Pablo Montoya will start second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race for an impressive follow-up to last week’s pole start but disappointing 32nd-place finish at the Brickyard 400.

Denny Hamlin will start third as he tries to sweep both Pocono races. Hamlin won the Pocono 500 in June.

They’ll both have to get past Stewart first, who’s got a little experience with starting up front at the Tricky Triangle.

Stewart started the June race in sixth place, and finished third. He was awarded the pole at the two Pocono stops in 2009 after rainouts washed out qualifying.

This time, Stewart sped his way to the top. He said he felt good going around the first two turns before thinking he hit a rough spot around Turn 3.

“I felt like I might have lost a little bit of time there, but we got through there pretty good, too apparently. Better than I thought, I guess,” Stewart said.

Good enough for his second pole of the season, the first coming at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Ninth in the points race, Stewart hopes to get a boost as the schedule draws closer to the Chase playoffs.

And to think, Stewart considers qualifying a “weak suit.”

“The qualifying run for sure, I’m hoping is a glimmer of hope to what the rest of the weekend will hold for us,” Stewart said. He’s had first-place finishes at Pocono in 2009 and 2003.

Few others have had as much success at Pocono than Hamlin, who has turned the triangle into his personal playground. Besides the June victory, he also won the Pennsylvania 500 last year and both Pocono races in 2006.

He’s slumped the last five weeks, finishing no higher than eighth in that stretch. Pocono could give his No. 11 Toyota team a spark for the season’s stretch run as they try to climb from their third-place standing in driver points.

Earlier Friday, Hamlin acknowledged he had been fined by NASCAR for making critical comments about the racing series, but not even that touchy subject could dampen his day.

“No, not really,” Hamlin said when asked if there was extra motivation because of the revelation about the fine. “Really, there’s no relation either way.”

Montoya, 22nd in points and out of contention, plans to use Pocono as a venue where his team “can try a lot of things.”

After a disappointing outing last week, Montoya was asked if there were similarities between the Brickyard and Pocono, both 2.5-mile tracks.

“I haven’t figured it out yet. Honestly, if there’s anything similar between these two places I haven’t seen them,” said Montoya in typical entertaining fashion. “Honestly, this place is bumpy hell ... It’s hard, it’s unpredictable.”

Text Only
Pro Sports
  • 0528 NASCAR Charlotte Auto_Harl.jpg Kahne keeps Hendrick success rolling at Charlotte

    Kasey Kahne powered to victory in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, taking NASCAR's longest race for the third time for his first win with Hendrick Motorsports.

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0528 Manu.jpg Spurs strike first in West finals, win 19th in row

    Manu Ginobili scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs won their 19th in a row to tie the NBA record for longest winning streak kept alive in the playoffs, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-98 to open the Western Conference finals on Sunday night.

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Indians White Sox Bas_Harl.jpg Konerko hits go-ahead HR, White Sox sweep Indians

    Paul Konerko got a big milestone home run and the White Sox got a sweep of the only team between them and the AL Central lead.

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Rockies Reds Baseball_Harl.jpg Reds outslug Rockies on record day for HRs

    Here's how easy it looked to hit home runs at Great American Ball Park on Sunday: Todd Frazier lost his grip on the bat during a swing. The ball wound up in the seats anyway.

     

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Cubs Pirates Baseball_Harl.jpg Cubs lose 12th straight, 10-4 to Pirates

    The Chicago Cubs didn't come to close to ending their longest losing streak in more than 15 years. Pedro Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones homered, Erik Bedard pitched six shutout innings and the Pirates beat Chicago 10-4, sending the Cubs to their 12th consecutive loss.

     

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • APTOPIX IndyCar Indy _Harl.jpg Franchitti wins his third Indianapolis 500

    For the second consecutive year the Indianapolis 500 was decided by a last-lap crash Sunday, but this time Takuma Sato crashed while battling for the win and allowing Dario Franchitti to score his third win.

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0527 spts pressure.jpg Mathis, Freeney making strides in shift to OLB

    Late in Wednesday’s practice at the Indianapolis Colts training facility, outside linebacker Robert Mathis backpedaled into the end zone, shadowing tight end Coby Fleener on a wheel route.
    When the ball was thrown, Mathis broke first and knocked the pass harmlessly to the ground. His defensive teammates were quick to surround him in celebration.

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0527 spts Rondo.jpg Rondo leads Celtics to Game 7 victory

    Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 85-75 in Game 7 on Saturday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Cubs web.jpg Cubs' losing streak hits 10 in 1-0 loss to Pirates

    A.J. Burnett and four relievers helped the Pittsburgh Pirates send the listless Chicago Cubs to their 10th straight loss by surviving on a night the Pirates allowed 10 hits and ran into trouble in just about every inning.

    May 25, 2012 1 Photo

  • JDS.jpg Dos Santos, Mir to battle for UFC title

    The address from UFC president Dana White to fans in the official program for UFC 146 states “there’s nothing in sports like a heavyweight fight.” And there’s nothing that resonates with fight fans more than a contest for the heavyweight championship of the world. Such a fight headlines the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s card tonight from Las Vegas as champion Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos defends his title for the first time against two-time former title holder Frank Mir at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

    May 25, 2012 2 Photos