Atlanta: Qualifying report

Blount, Dodge Capture Old Milwaukee Pole At Atlanta; Sets New Track Record

HAMPTON GA (3-8-02) Top ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie contender Chad Blount won the Old Milwaukee Pole here Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway for Saturday's Pork The Other White Meat ARCA 400 with a new 1-lap track record. Blount, in Todd Braun's unsponsored Dodge, qualified at 188.925 mph eclipsing the old mark of 188.854 set by Frank Kimmel in 2001. Kimmel qualified on the outside pole at 188.770.

"We had a decent run," said Blount. "We got a little loose; I think the sun affected me a little. This pole is big for this team. It was great for the guys in the shop. Everybody worked real hard and with this Ernie Elliott powered engine, what else can I say?; he builds the best engines. Overall, I was pretty happy. I got a little loose midway off both corners, but I was smooth for the majority of the run."

Blount, who finished 4th this year at Daytona, will be making his 7th ARCA RE/MAX Series start here Saturday. His career-best RE/MAX Series finish was 2nd in 2001 at Berlin Raceway in Michigan.

2001 ARCA RE/MAX Rookie of the Year Jason Jarrett qualified 3rd overall with a speed of 188.245 mph.

"This is by far the best I've ever been at Atlanta," said Jarrett. "The car's driving great; working real good through the corners which is critical here at Atlanta. There's not a lot of straightaway here. It's a superspeedway but it drives like a short-track with all the corner. I think we'll be good on Saturday."

United Kingdom driver Michael Vergers, in only his second career start, qualified fourth at 187.570 in Bob Schacht's Ford.

Kevin Conway, making his career-first ARCA RE/MAX Series start, qualified fifth at 187.253 in Ernie Irvan's Chevrolet.

All-time ARCA/Atlanta winner Tim Steele (3 wins) qualified 6th ahead of Doug Stevens, Damon Lusk, Bob Aiello and Tina Gordon to complete the top-10.

Saturday's Pork The Other White Meat ARCA 400 is schedule to get underway at 1 PM ET. The race will be tape-delayed on Speed Channel to be aired on Monday, March 11 from 8 PM to 10 PM eastern time.

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