HAMPTON, Ga., March 7 (UPI) -- Ryan Newman was one of six drivers clocking better than 190 miles per hour Friday and grabbed the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500.
Driving a Dodge Intrepid, Newman covered the 1 1/2-mile speedway, considered the fastest on the Winston Cup circuit, in 28.963 seconds and averaged 191.417 mph.
The 2002 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, Newman got off to a terrible start this season but has gotten progressively better. He finished 43rd and last in the season-opening Daytona 500, but was 14th in the Subway 400 and seventh in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.
Last year, Newman claimed six poles and won one race as he edged Jimmie Johnson for top rookie honors.
Veteran and Georgia native Bill Elliott was the only other driver to eclipse 29 seconds, clocking 28.991 seconds and 191.232 mph, also in a Dodge. He just missed the 56th pole of his career.
Elliott Sadler in a Ford Taurus, Bobby Labonte in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Jimmy Spencer in a Dodge completed the top five. Labonte won the pole last week in Las Vegas.
