TALLADEGA, Ala. — It’s been all about Tony Stewart at Talladega Superspeedway, where he has planted himself inside the spotlight by entering free agency.
He has backed up the high level of interest being shown in NASCAR’s two-time champion with strong runs on the track, including a stout qualifying lap Saturday that seemed to lock down the pole position. Some three hours later, Joe Nemechek stole his thunder.
Nemechek, the 46th of 47 drivers to make a qualifying attempt, knocked Stewart off the pole with a lap of 187.386 mph. It was the first pole since 2005, a span of 93 races, for “Front Row Joe,” and was his fourth career pole at Talladega — best among active drivers.
Nemechek credited his Furniture Row Racing team, a single-car operation based out of Denver that prepared a car that had to qualify on speed to make today’s race. Nemechek is ranked 42nd in the points, and has missed two of eight races this season.
“It takes a lot of work and a lot of innovative thinking to get your cars to go fast, and to get them through the air,” Nemechek said. “And it’s paying attention to all the details. The cool thing about us is we’re just a small team. We don’t have that many employees.”
Footnotes.
Less than a week after her historic first IndyCar victory, Danica Patrick put away her smile and went back to work on the track, qualifying third for the today’s IRL race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
While Target Chip Ganassi teammates Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon swept the front row in qualifying on the 1 1/2-mile oval, Patrick was again the focal point of attention as she backed up her big day last Sunday in Japan with a solid run.
• Funny car driver Tim Wilkerson and the other three provisional qualifiers maintained the top spots in final qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
It’s Wilkerson’s third No. 1 qualifier of the season and 13th of his career. The other top qualifiers were Cory McClenathan (top fuel), Ron Krisher (pro stock) and Andrew Hines (pro stock motorcycle).
• Stewart held off Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last- lap charge to win a Nationwide Series race for his first career victory at Talladega.
NASCAR newcomer Dario Franchitti broke his left ankle in a hard crash during the race.
• Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari edged Renault’s Fernando Alonso to take pole position for today’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP
Aaron’s 499
Site:Talladega, Ala.
TV: Fox, noon.
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles, 33 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps.
Next race: Dan Lowry 400, May 3, Richmond, Va.
On the Net:
FORMULA ONE
Spanish Grand Prix
Site:Barcelona
TV: Speed Channel, 5:30 a.m.
Track: Circuit of Catalunya (road course, 2.937 miles).
Race distance: 193.842 miles, 66 laps.
Next race: Turkish Grand Prix, May 11, Istanbul
On the Net:
INDY RACING LEAGUE
RoadRunner Turbo 300
Site:Kansas City, Kan.
TV: ESPN2, 3 p.m.
Track: Kansas Speedway (D-shaped oval, 1.5 miles, 15 degrees banking in turns).
Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.Next race: Indianapolis 500, May 25
On the Net:
NHRA
Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals
Site:Commerce, Ga.
TV: ESPN2, 4 p.m., tape.
Track: Atlanta Dragway.
Next event: O’Reilly Midwest Nationals, May 4, Madison, Ill.
On the Net:
