Nemechek Earns Top-10 Start at Indy

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 3, 2002) -- Joe Nemechek matched his best qualifying effort of 2002 on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, posting the 10th-fastest lap of the day on the 2.5-mile track, his best since starting 10th at Chicagoland Speedway on July 14. Driving the No. 25 UAW-Delphi Chevy, Nemechek was the top Hendrick Motorsports driver in Brickyard 400 qualifying with a time of 49.881 seconds and a 180.429-mph speed. Defending NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon earned the 21st starting position for Sunday’s event, recording just one qualifying lap after encountering mechanical problems with the No. 24 DuPont Monte Carlo. He posted a 50.141-second time and a speed of 179.494 mph. In the No. 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet, Terry Labonte was 31st overall and third in the Hendrick Motorsports stable. The two-time champion posted a lap of 50.377 seconds and 178.653 mph. The handling problems that plagued Jimmie Johnson in Friday’s pre-qualifying practice session continued on Saturday as the rookie took a provisional for the Brickyard 400. Driving the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy, Johnson will start 37th overall after a lap of 50.868 seconds and 176.929 mph. Tony Stewart earned the Brickyard 400 pole position after a track-record lap of 49.191 seconds and 182.960 mph. Two 45-minute practices are scheduled for Saturday afternoon following the IROC event at Indy. The final “Happy Hour” session will be tape-delayed on the Speed Channel (6 p.m. EDT). Sunday’s NASCAR Winston Cup Series race will be broadcast live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on NBC (2 p.m. EDT) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network (1:30 p.m. EDT).