Bull
Baker Wins 36th Annual Chevy Dealers 400 Pole
Anderson,
Ind., (July 12, 2002) -
After capturing the biggest victory of his
racing career in 2001 at Anderson Speedway in the Chevy
Dealers 400
Presented By Choo Choo Customs & Great Deals Coupon Magazine, Bull Baker
began the 2002 version of the event by winning the Tobacco Depot Pole.
Baker toured the quarter-mile oval in 12.183 seconds / 73.873 mph to
capture his third career Sunoco Super Series pole.
"We
practiced Thursday night at turned a 12.480 (seconds) and I told the
guys we would pick up three tenths on new tires and that is what we
did," said an excited Bull Baker after being awarded a $200 bonus
for the Tobacco Depot Pole. Baker is eligible to collect a $2,400
bonus from Rug Doctor Rents if he can win the 400-lap event. "We are
going to ride the first 300 laps and then if we are still around,
we'll race the last 100."
Sunoco
Super Series points leader Joel Kauffman was the first competitor of
the 34 cars that took times to qualify. Kauffman, 16, tripped the
clocks at 12.240 seconds / 73.529 mph. He held the provisional pole
through the initial 20 qualifiers, until Baker advanced to first
position in the qualifying order.
"If we
went out later, we might have had a shot at getting the quick time.
I want to congratulate Bull on winning the pole. We struggled in
practice, so that is a lot better than we thought we were gonna be
in qualifying. We'll settle for third and we have a good choice to
pick out pit, " said Joel Kauffman.
Third-year driver Bobby Parsley qualified in second position
regulating Kauffman to third. Parsley toured the quarter-mile oval
in 12.205 seconds / 73.740 mph. Matt Hagans was fourth fastest with
J.R. Roahrig in fifth spot. Rookie Andy Ponstein qualified sixth
with Eddie Van Meter, Brad Muller, Brent Downey and Evan Jackson
rounding out the top ten.
Tom
Jones was the winner of the last chance event, holding off the most
recent winner Junior Hanley. The 36th Annual
Chevrolet Dealers 400 Presented by Choo Choo Customs & Great Deals
Coupon Magazine at Anderson Speedway resumes with a warm-up session is set for
5:15 with the on-track autograph session beginning at 6:15. Pre-race activities
are set for 7:15 with the 400-lap event going green at 8.
