Mears wins first-ever Nextel Cup pole

Posted 9:09AM on Saturday 31st July 2004 ( 20 years ago )

LONG POND, PENSYLVANIA - Casey Mears is ready to experience all the benefits of winning the pole at Pocono Raceway. He'll start racing in clean air with unobstructed view. "For the first time I expect to see no one in front of me," a smiling Mears said. Mears, driving a Dodge for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, turned a lap of 171.720 mph Friday for his first career pole in 56 tries. He topped the fourth-place start he earned last year in Chicago. Mears does have seven top-10 finishes this year, but none better than seventh. "It's such gratification to finally get a pole," he said. A light drizzle and heavy fog shortened practice to an hour and delayed qualifying for the Pennsylvania 500. But it didn't bother Mears, nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears. Instead, with the sun out and the track heating up, Casey turned in an effort that wasn't a total surprise. "I feel like we had a car that could have been a top-five," he said. "We made some last-minute changes, some on gear, some on handling, and we went through the corners pretty fast." They were corners on the 2.5-mile triangular track Mears has successfully navigated before. Mears struggled for most of his last year's rookie season until Ganassi entered him in both ARCA races at Pocono and he won both for his first stock-car victories. The races were on consecutive nights because one at the track in June was postponed by rain. Then Mears completed the 900-mile Pocono triple with a 35th-place finish in the Pennsylvania 500. "It was pretty apparent by the end of last year we needed to pick it up," Mears said. "If we didn't pick it up, I don't think I'd be around by the middle of this year." The Pocono marathon might have been the turning point for Mears, who starts Sunday's race 17th in Nextel Cup points. Mears started 21st and finished 10th in the Pocono 500 on the same track seven weeks ago. "It's probably one of the tracks I've got the most miles on," Mears said. "If I feel like a veteran at all, it would be this place. I'm glad I did it or else I wouldn't be as comfortable as I am today." Joe Nemechek, who posted the best practice time, was second in a Chevrolet at 171.654 and Kurt Busch third in a Ford at 171.540. "I think we're going to have a great run on Sunday," Nemechek said. Sterling Marlin and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five. They could benefit from their strong pole qualifying session -- the past four races at Pocono have been won from a top-five starting position. The series standings are closer as the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup heats up. There are just seven races left to earn a spot as one of the 10 drivers who will participate in the championship, and only 48 points separate sixth place from 10th. Busch, sixth in the points, knows how important the next seven races are. "We know if we do slip up, we're going to be in a hurtful situation," he said. Jeremy Mayfield - a two-time winner at Pocono who starts ninth - is only 106 points out of the top 10 and Dale Jarrett - a three-time winner there - is 127 points out of the final spot in 12th place. Points leader Jimmie Johnson, who overcame a caution-rules error to win at Pocono in June was 14th-fastest at 170.467. Ryan Newman, last year's Pennsylvania 500 pole and race winner, placed 30th out of 38 cars. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 16th in his second race since suffering second-degree burns in a sports car crash July 18. Earnhardt drove the first 61 laps of last Sunday's race at New Hampshire before giving up the driver's seat to rookie Martin Truex Jr. John Andretti - a part-time DEI driver this season - will stand by throughout the weekend. Earnhardt gingerly walked around the garage area, but didn't need help getting in or out of his Chevrolet. Earnhardt spent most of the day resting and still plans to drive all 500 miles. "Just getting to the refrigerator is a big pain in the butt," he said. "Sitting in this car is one of the few things I can do. I'm just ready for it to heal up and be done with it."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/7/155097