SWS: Altamont: Qualifying notes

Pettit Puts Down Perfect Lap To Claim Bud Pole at Altamont

TRACY, CA. July 2, 2006. Two-time and defending NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series champion returned to form Sunday afternoon claiming his second career Bud Pole Award at the newly remodeled Altamont Motorsports Park located outside Tracy, California. Pettit toured the reconfigured half-mile paved oval in 17.381 seconds/103.561 mph. Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year competitors Cody Pruitt and Brandon Loverock clocked in second and third fast respectively while Rip Michels and Eddy McKean rounded out the top five qualifiers for the 150-lap event.

Pettit drew an 8-car invert putting former Altamont race winner Eric Holmes on the point to start the race. Holmes caps a busy weekend at Altamont Motorsports Park after competing in the NASCAR Grand National AutoZone West Series in Roseburg, Oregon where he finished third.

Holmes leads the current Southwest Series point standings after three events and is in the cat birds seat tonight. Thomas Martin, Darrell LaMoure, Eric Holmes, David Mayhew, and Eric Richardson round out the top ten qualifiers.

The Altamont "150" is set to take the green flag just after 7:00 p.m. tonight.

-nascar