| | Associated Press
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Bryan Reffner took the pole for the
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' O'Reilly 400, setting a Texas Motor
Speedway record with a 180.373-mph qualifying lap Thursday night.
Reffner was the second driver to break the track record of
179.718 mph set by Jay Sauter on June 10, 1999. Reffner actually
broke the record on both of his laps, his second lap better than
the 180.216 mph on his first one.
David Starr had an earlier lap at 180.048 mph, and will start on
the outside of the front row for the race Friday night.
Points leader Greg Biffle, who was on the pole and won the June
race at Texas Motor Speedway, qualified third at 179.265 mph.
Biffle needs only to finish 27th or better Friday to claim
the season title. He has finished in the top five in 14 of the last
15 races, and his worst finish this year is 14th.
Reffner, the 1996 rookie of the year, claimed the pole for only
the fifth time in 112 career races. He is still looking for his
first victory.
With his only other pole this year, at the Kroger 225 at
Kentucky Speedway on June 17, Reffner also set a track record
during qualifying and went on to a season-best fifth-place finish for
team owner John Menard.
Starr, whose family runs a driving school at Texas Motor
Speedway, is running his first race with Texas-based TKO
Motorsports. | |
ALSO SEE
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O'Reilly 400 lineup
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