SWS: Pikes Peak: Qualifying report

Fountain, Colo. (May 18, 2002) Burney Lamar of W. Sacramento, Calif. collected his first career Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring Bud Pole Award at Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway Saturday afternoon to lead all qualifiers. Lamar's lap of 26.979/133.437 mph bested 45 qualifiers and was the only car to break into the 26 second bracket. Matt Crafton, the only driver in the field who will compete in both the Featherlite Southwest Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events this weekend, qualified second after struggling to make it on the track before qualifying was concluded. Zach Niessner, John Baker, and Eddy McKean rounded out the top five qualifiers.

Lamar currently leads the Featherlite Southwest Series point standings after four events and is the only driver to complete every lap run this season (479)."This Bud Pole is a testament to Junior Joiner," Lamar said. "This hole Tri-C Manufacturing team has worked real hard and we are definitely ready to win races." Series veteran M.K. Kanke is looking to win his second race of the season here at Pikes Peak after finishing second and third here the last two years respectively. Kanke qualified a disappointing 17th. The entire 38-car starting grid is separated by less then one second. The "Southwest Series" 100 is scheduled to take the green flag Sunday afternoon at 4:30 pm MST after the conclusion of the Craftsman Truck Series event.

-nascar-