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Confident Kahne Keeps Rolling With Pocono Pole

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By TONY FABRIZIO The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 7, 2008

LONG POND, Pa. - Kasey Kahne turned his season around last month when fans voted him into the all-star race. He continued his hot streak Friday, winning the pole for Sunday's Pocono 500.

"We've always run good at Charlotte and we just got some momentum," Kahne said after turning a lap at 170.219 mph in the No. 9 Dodge. "The fans got us in the all-star race. We won that and won the Coca-Cola 600, and the momentum and confidence picked up. It's been fun again."

Jimmie Johnson qualified second, part-timer Mark Martin third and rookie Regan Smith a surprising fourth. Martin and Smith are Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammates.

Martin predicted he will be "very good" in Sunday's race, given the similarity between Pocono Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and a threat to win next month's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

"I'm planning on winning the Brickyard in the No. 8 car," Martin said. "We've got the stuff. We've got the team. The cars are awesome on flat tracks like Phoenix and Richmond. I have never planned on anything like I'm planning on the Brickyard."

Qualifying is more important at Pocono than most tracks, because passing is difficult and cars tend to get strung out. Four of the past five winners on the 2.5-mile triangle have come from the front row.

Points leader Kyle Busch qualified 10th and left by chartered jet for Fort Worth, Texas, to compete in Friday night's Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. He'll also race in tonight's Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Zephyrhills' David Reutimann qualified 36th. He also will compete in tonight's race at Nashville.

McMURRAY DENIAL: Jamie McMurray denied he is leaving Roush Fenway Racing after the season, saying a report in the Charlotte Observer is wrong.

McMurray is 22nd in the standings, lagging well behind his four teammates, and his future was the subject of speculation even before the story. The story said McMurray's representatives have been shopping his services to other teams.

"I never asked to get out of my contract, and they Roush co-owner Jack Roush and president Geoff Smith never said they were going to release me from my contract," McMurray said. "We were all trying to figure out where it came from."

Since coming to Roush Fenway from Chip Ganassi Racing in 2006, McMurray has won one race - last year's Pepsi 400 at Daytona - and he has only five other top-five finishes.

DISTANCE DEBATE: Add Jeff Burton and Busch to a long list of drivers advocating a shorter distance for Pocono's 500-mile races. Both say shorter races would be more interesting because there would be greater urgency to run up front.

"The 500-mile thing was almost a status symbol in the day," Burton said. "I don't get the number. What matters is that the quality of racing is the best it can be, and this track has the potential to put on a better show at 400 miles."

Busch agreed. "There would be more racing throughout the event rather than riding around for however many miles because you have so long to go," he said.

Track owner Joe Mattioli said he has no intention of shortening the track's two Sprint Cup races, saying a survey indicates fans like the 500-mile distance.

FAVORITE SHOW: Nearby Scranton, Pa., is the mythical home of the hit TV series "The Office." Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a huge fan of the show.

"It's kind of like 'Cheers' and 'Seinfeld' were in their heyday," Earnhardt said. "To me, that's what it's like for this generation or decade."

QUOTABLE: Clint Bowyer on what he thinks about Busch attempting the weekend triple: "If I was running as good as Kyle is right now, I would be racing snowmobiles somewhere on my off days."

Tony Fabrizio

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