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From NASCAR.com
For the first time in NASCAR history a driver topped 200 mph in a qualifying lap on a 1.5-mile track, and it was Tony Stewart who did the honours in the second of three rounds of qualifying on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.
Stewart set the track qualifying record with a lap of 200.111 mph, breaking the previous record of 198.282 mph set by Kevin Harvick in April of 2014.
The man known as 'Smoke' lit up the leaderboard with the lap of 26.985 seconds and gained the attention of Chase drivers such as Coors Light Pole Award winner Matt Kenseth.
"I never dreamed we'd see a lap time like that around here unless they paved it," Kenseth said. "It's incredibly fast."
For Stewart it was a highlight in a difficult season, and it came on the heels of a top-five finish at Martinsville. That was Stewart's first top-five since March at Auto Club Speedway, and combined with the good qualifying run gives Stewart something to build on as he looks towards the 2015 season.
Stewart was surprised when he broke the 200-mph barrier, saying over the radio, "Didn't look that fast."
Although he set the record in the second round, Stewart ended up qualifying sixth and will share Row 3 with teammate Kevin Harvick for the start of Sunday's AAA Texas 500. He expressed some regret about not being able to hit the top speed in the third round of qualifying but was still pleased with the record.
"It is always cool to be the first guy to be able to do anything," Stewart said.
For the first time in NASCAR history a driver topped 200 mph in a qualifying lap on a 1.5-mile track, and it was Tony Stewart who did the honours in the second of three rounds of qualifying on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.
Stewart set the track qualifying record with a lap of 200.111 mph, breaking the previous record of 198.282 mph set by Kevin Harvick in April of 2014.
The man known as 'Smoke' lit up the leaderboard with the lap of 26.985 seconds and gained the attention of Chase drivers such as Coors Light Pole Award winner Matt Kenseth.
"I never dreamed we'd see a lap time like that around here unless they paved it," Kenseth said. "It's incredibly fast."
For Stewart it was a highlight in a difficult season, and it came on the heels of a top-five finish at Martinsville. That was Stewart's first top-five since March at Auto Club Speedway, and combined with the good qualifying run gives Stewart something to build on as he looks towards the 2015 season.
Stewart was surprised when he broke the 200-mph barrier, saying over the radio, "Didn't look that fast."
Although he set the record in the second round, Stewart ended up qualifying sixth and will share Row 3 with teammate Kevin Harvick for the start of Sunday's AAA Texas 500. He expressed some regret about not being able to hit the top speed in the third round of qualifying but was still pleased with the record.
"It is always cool to be the first guy to be able to do anything," Stewart said.