Stephen Nasse Sets New Track Record to Earn the McGunegill Engine Performance Fast Time Award for PASS South “THE RACE”
Top 15 drivers locked in during qualifying at North Wilkesboro Speedway
The historic North Wilkesboro Speedway (NC) was alive on Friday, April 8th, with qualifying for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South presented by JE Pistons and Roush Yates Performance Parts “THE RACE” event. With a time of 18.700 seconds, Stephen Nasse earned the McGunegill Engine Performance Fast Time Award, a new track record.
75 cars took to the track during qualifying. With drivers from at least 21 states and five Canadian providences on hand, Nasse, who hails from Pinellas Park, Florida, was the quickest driver during the two-lap qualifying session.
“We have been struggling a little bit with freeness all weekend,” said Nasse. “This is a very old track. I am proud to be on the pole for this race. Our team really needed a pick-up for this season; we haven’t been doing too great, but this is definitely what we needed.”
Justin Wakefield held the pole for a bit during the session with an 18.897-second lap, but Nasse was able to rip off a lap almost two-tenths faster.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be that fast,” explained Nasse. “I just wanted to get locked in to the top 15. It is good how it happened. It is amazing.”
The top-15 drivers that locked themselves into the race were Nasse, Wakefield, Ryan Moore, Brian Ickler, Bubba Pollard, Augie Grill, Pat Kelly, Andy Loden, Johnny Clark, Jay Fogleman, Cale Gale, Kenzie Ruston, Trevor Sanborn, TJ Reaid and Chris Eggleston. The top-10 drivers will redraw for their starting positions tomorrow.
Later in the evening on Friday, five 25-lap heat races will take place with the top-three drivers from each heat locking them into the 300-lap event. Two 40-lap last chance races will take place on Saturday with the winner from each race transferring into “THE RACE” held later that day, where the winner after 300 laps will earn at least $75,000.00. The balance of the field will be determined by provisionals.
For more information on the Pro All Stars Series and “THE RACE” at North Wilkesboro Speedway, go to www.proallstarsseries.com.
Official Qualifying Results: PASS South presented by JE Pistons/ Roush Yates Performance Products THE RACE – North Wilkesboro (NC) Speedway – 4/8/2011
Top 15 lock in to feature event on time – positions 16-30 to be determined by qualifying races this evening.) position, car number, driver, fastest lap
1 51N Stephen Nasse 18.700 (New SLM Track Record) 2 98 Justin Wakefield 18.897 3 74 Ryan Moore 18.908 4 154 Brian Ickler 18.920 5 18 Bubba Pollard 18.933 6 112 Augie Grill 18.933 7 53 Pat Kelly 18.943 8 29 Andy Loden 18.952 9 54 Johnny Clark 18.963 10 4 Jay Fogleman 18.964 11 83 Cale Gale 18.969 12 39 Kenzie Ruston 18.977 13 29 Trevor Sanborn 18.983 14 51 TJ Reaid 19.006 15 O8 Chris Eggleston 19.012 16 91 Patrick Laperle 19.016 17 25 Ross Kenseth 19.044 18 129 Jeff Choquette 19.066 19 10 Ryan Blaney 19.066 20 26 Preston Peltier 19.096 21 16 Joey Coulter 19.113 22 51 Becca Kasten 19.115 23 61 Mario Gosslin 19.117 24 62 Brandon Ward 19.123 25 84 Scott Mulkern 19.129 26 91 Heath Hindman 19.130 27 23 Jimmy Weller 19.134 28 2 Gray Gaulding 19.148 29 40 Michael Pilla 19.150 30 8 Cassius Clark 19.160 31 40 Sterling Marlin 19.161 32 47S Corey Williams 19.175 33 O9 Randy Gentry 19.187 34 110 Ryan Crane 19.191 35 35 Devin Jones 19.221 36 115 Jody Lavender 19.224 37 2 Michael Bilderback 19.226 38 47 Trey Mitchell 19.236 39 82 Donnie Wilson 19.240 40 7 Erik Darnell 19.259 41 86 Mike Fritts 19.272 42 80 Dean Clattenburg 19.274 43 18K Keith Oliver 19.274 44 1 Randy Turner 19.276 45 29P Grant Proude 19.283 46 5 Spencer Wauters 19.316 47 91Q David Quackenbush 19.323 48 24N Mike Rowe 19.331 49 O4 Ryan Reed 19.332 50 42H Ronnie Hults 19.338 51 97 John Flemming 19.339 52 60N DJ Shaw 19.345 53 O5 Alex Fleming 19.347 54 64 Garrett Evans 19.371 55 48N Lonnie Sommerville 19.374 56 22 Aaron Ricker 19.375 57 197 Joey Pole 19.390 58 1A Justin Allison 19.396 59 49 Brian Leavitt 19.401 60 180 Blake Jones 19.403 61 4N Ben Rowe 19.443 62 20 Steve Legendre 19.462 63 17A Scott Alexander 19.472 64 10B Geoff Bodine 19.519 65 73 Joey Doiron 19.539 66 21 Dustin Hubbard 19.557 67 9P Tommy Pecaro 19.616 68 84 Martin Latulippe 19.635 69 80 Mark Shaffer 19.677 70 48 John Batten 19.699 71 O Bill Penfold 19.703 72 29K Allen Karnes 19.716 73 16R Kevin Roberge 19.785 74 75 Gary Smith 19.795 75 2M Matt Matheson 19.943 Casey Roderick did not take time.