Brooklyn II: Chip Ganassi Racing qualifying notes

Sterling Marlin / Jimmy Spencer

BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 17, 2002) - The No. 40 Coors Light and No. 41 Target teams of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates secured 26th and 34th qualifying positions for the Pepsi 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Friday.

Sterling Marlin, driver of the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid R/T, will start in 26th position for Sunday's event. Marlin ran a 38.701-second lap (186.042 mph).

Last season, Marlin won the rain-shortened Pepsi 400 at Michigan on Aug. 19, 2001, giving Dodge its first NASCAR Winston Cup win since November 1977. It was Marlin's first victory in 2001 and his first victory in 33 races at Michigan. The win ended Marlin's 170-race winless streak that dated to Daytona in July 1996.

"We picked up about three tenths, and we needed to pick up at least half a second," Marlin said. "I was sideways. We didn't get adjusted like we needed it. We got loose on our banzai run. I thought we had it tightened up, but it wasn't quite enough. We had this car at Pocono and Indy. It really doesn't matter where you start here. It's a handling track."

Jimmy Spencer, driver of the No. 41 Target Dodge Intrepid R/T, will start in 34th position. Spencer's lap was recorded at 185.481 mph (38.818 seconds). In 24 career starts at Michigan, Spencer has only one top-5 finish and four top-10 finishes.

"It's the best lap we ran all day, but it's half a second off from where we wanted to be," Spencer said. "We just had a little practice, and it's a different car than we had here last time. I just hope it'll race good."

The Pepsi 400 from Michigan International Speedway will be broadcast on TNT on Sunday, August 18 at 2:30 p.m., e.d.t.

-cgr-