Vickers, Busch Fast in Final Practice at Lowe's

CONCORD, N.C. (May 29, 2004) – Brian Vickers paced Hendrick Motorsports in Saturday’s final practice before Sunday’s 600-mile NEXTEL Cup event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, posting the fifth-best time on the 1.5-mile oval. Driving the No. 25 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet, Vickers was clocked at 178.968 mph (30.173 seconds) on the second of his 22 laps in the “Happy Hour” session. Preparing for just his second career NEXTEL Cup start, Kyle Busch was 10th-quickest in the No. 84 CARQUEST Chevy. He was followed by Jimmie Johnson in 12th and Jeff Gordon in 13th. Terry Labonte and Kellogg’s Racing chose not to participate in the final practice after running 11th in Saturday’s early session. In the No. 48 Lowe’s Monte Carlo, Johnson was second in the first of two practices at 182.506 mph (29.588 seconds). He will start from the pole on Sunday. Labonte, 11th, was followed by Vickers in 16th and Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevy, in 24th. Busch was 32nd in the early practice. Dale Earnhardt Jr. led both sessions in his No. 8 Chevrolet. Sunday’s 600-mile NEXTEL Cup event will be broadcast live on FOX (5 p.m. ET) and PRN Radio (4:45 p.m. ET).