Michael Waltrip Racing - Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway - Post Qualifying Report

David Reutimann posted the fastest lap of the two Michael Waltrip Racing Toyotas during today’s Coors Light qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. He’ll line up ninth. Meanwhile, Martin Truex Jr. will start 19th. Sunday’s running of the Kobalt Tools 500 gets underway on FOX, PRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Friday Recap

• David Reutimann, No. 00 Mitsubishi Electric/Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Qualified 9th
• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Qualified 19th
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the KOBALT TOOLS 500 with a lap of 28.761
seconds, 192.761 mph
• Earnhardt's pole speed set a record for fastest in the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. The
previous fastest was Jimmie Johnson's speed of 192.376 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October
of last season.
• Kyle Busch will join Earnhardt on the front row.

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Mitsubishi Electric/Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Qualified: Ninth

Are you happy with your qualifying run?
“That’s about as much as we had. I think we picked up about seven-tenths so it was a pretty good pick up for the Mitsubishi Electric/Aaron’s Dream Machine. We gave up a little bit in one and two. We were pretty good in three and four but one and two we lost some. All in all it was a good effort for the guys. It’s not a pole but hopefully it will hold up for a top-10 and give us a good starting position and a good pit selection and all of the things we need for the race.”

Did you ‘bottom out’ during your qualifying run?
“Actually it got on the race track just a little bit but not as much as anticipated. Not only with the tape up on the nose but the track temperatures being down. We’re talking some guys picking up close to a second on lap time and if you pick up that much speed you’re going to have trouble getting on the race track. But it wasn’t bad. Rodney Childers (crew chief) and the guys did a good job anticipating what was going to happen so it was okay.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Qualified: 19th

How was your qualifying lap?
“It was okay. I thought we would’ve been a little bit better than that. I think a lot of the guys run 29 flat so we were just on the wrong end of that. I really have been pretty happy with the car all day especially in race trim so hopefully tomorrow will be great. I thought we’d have went a little quicker than that tonight. We had a really good run right at the end of practice but it was on an older set of tires. We probably just got the car a little bit too free for tonight.”