For the fifth time this season the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series will take to the track without Dale Jarrett and the #44 UPS Team. Jarrett was the 30th driver to attempt to qualify for Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway but a loose-handling UPS Toyota prevented Jarrett from finding any speed and thus from making the starting lineup.
Jarrett was 35th during the morning practice session at New Hampshire. Despite being so low on the practice chart, Jarrett's best lap of 30.051 seconds and 126.746 mph was seventh best among the "go or go-home" cars and would have placed him in the starting lineup for Sunday's race.
An extreme loose condition on the UPS Toyota however, resulted in a slower lap time of 30.265 seconds and 125.848 mph, the 47th time on the speed charts.
"The car was loose and it hadn't been loose all day," Jarrett said. "It was loose getting in the gas, getting off the gas - it was loose exiting pit road so I knew it wasn't going to be good. It's just disappointing."
Michael Waltrip was in the same boat as Jarrett after posting the 34th best time in practice with his best lap being a time of 30.012 seconds and 126.909 mph. A loose race car resulted in Waltrip posting a qualifying time of 30.194 seconds and 126.144 mph and the #55 Napa Team missing the race.
David Reutimann was the lone shining star for Michael Waltrip Racing, securing the 17th starting spot with his qualifying time of 29.765 seconds and 127.962 mph.
Toyota driver Dave Blaney secured the first Bud Pole of the season for the rookie manufacturer with a fast lap time of 29.426 seconds and 129.437 mph. Kurt Busch was his closest challenger for the top starting spot with a lap time of 29.484 seconds and 129.182 mph.
The green flag for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 will wave at 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday. TNT goes live with its broadcast beginning with its own pre-race show at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
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