BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Ted Musgrave, absent from Mesa Marin Raceway for two years, returned to duplicate his pole position run for Sunday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Lucas Oil 250 race.
Musgrave, winner of the 2001 edition of the 125-mile race, lapped the .5-mile paved oval at a speed of 93.293 mph, well off Stacy Compton's 95.092 record set in 1999. The pole was the sixth of Musgrave's series career.
The lap speed was fractionally quicker than that logged by Bobby Hamilton, the current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points leader. Hamilton, racing on the track for the first time, was clocked at 92.966.
Both veteran competitors drive Dodge Ram trucks.
Hamilton beat Musgrave to the checkered flag by about two truck lengths to win the March 14 event at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.
Third fastest among qualifiers was 23-year-old Carl Edwards in a Ford at 92.942. Robert Pressley qualified fourth in a Dodge at 92.836. Jon Wood, Edwards' teammate at Roush Racing, picked up the fifth starting position with his lap of 92.827.
First-time series starter Brandon Miller, the Mesa Marin late model champion, will start sixth. Next are Brendan Gaughan, David Starr, Terry Cook and Matt Crafton.
All 36 trucks entered will start the race. Two drivers had speeds disallowed for spring violations. Jerry Hill, 27th fast and Nathan Wulff, 18th gained the field, however, as provisional starters, 34th and 36th, respectively.
1.(1)Ted Musgrave, Franklin, Wis., Dodge, 93.293
2.(4)Bobby Hamilton, Nashville, Tenn., Dodge, 92.966
3.(99)Carl Edwards, Columbia, Mo., Ford, 92.942
4.(59)Robert Pressley, Asheville, N.C., Dodge, 92.836
5.(50)Jon Wood, Stuart, Va., Ford, 92.827
6.(6)Brandon Miller, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 92.616
7.(62)Brendan Gaughan, Las Vegas, NN, Dodge, 92.574
8.(75)David Starr, Houston, Tex., Chevrolet, 92.450
9.(29)Terry Cook, Sylvania, Ohio, Ford, 92.090
10.(88)Matt Crafton, Tulare, Calif., Chevrolet, 92.081
11.(16)Travis Kvapil, Janesville, Wis., Chevrolet, 91.954
12.(46)Dennis Setzer, Newton, N.C., Chevrolet, 91.921
13.(14)Rick Crawford, Mobile, Ala., Ford, 91.884
14.(72)Randy MacDonald, Canada, Chevrolet, 91.552
15.(38)Brandon Whitt, El Cajon, Calif., Chevrolet, 91.056
16.(07)Bobby Dotter, Chicago, Ill., Chevrolet, 91.042
17.(15)Andy Houston, Hickory, N.C., Ford, 91.033
18.(86)T.J. Bell, Reno, Nev., Chevrolet, 90.781
19.(08)Jody Lavender, Hartsville, S.C., Chevrolet, 90.758
20.(33)Andy Petree, Newton, N.C., Chevrolet, 89.512
21.(39)Jason Small, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 89.317
22.(53)Randy Briggs, Kansas City, Kan., Dodge, 89.295
23.(8)Bill Lester, Oakland, Calif., Dodge, 88.911
24.(54)Tim Woods III, Chino Hills, Calif., Ford, 88.736
25.(93)Trevor Boys, Canada, Chevrolet, 88.644
26.(67)Gary Higgs, Lakewood, Colo., Ford, 88.292
27.(18)Chad Chaffin, Smyrna, Tenn., Dodge, 88.179
28.(31)Tina Gordon, Cedar Bluff, Ala., Dodge, 88.011
29.(20)Ken Weaver, Dallas, Tex., Chevrolet, 87.728
30.(2)Jason Leffler, Long Beach, Calif., Dodge, 86.994
31.(27)Doug Keller, St. Joseph, Mo., Chevrolet, 86.810
32.(94)Dennis Hannel, Murphys, Calif., Chevrolet, 84.610
33.(66)Stephen Rhodes, Goldsboro, N.C., Dodge, provisional
34.(5)Jerry Hill, Port Tobacco, Md., Dodge, provisional
35.(23)Dana White, Concord, N.C., Chevrolet, provisional
36.(66)Stephen Rhodes, Goldsboro, N.C., Dodge, provisional
