Edmonton: Series qualifying report

Fitzpatrick On Edmonton Pole
Sets Track Record En Route To First Pole In 2010

EDMONTON -- It has been JR Fitzpatrick's event, so far, at Edmonton City Centre Airport. After leading both NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 practice sessions for the Canadian Tire 100 presented by Konica Minolta, he qualified for the pole position in record fashion.

Fitzpatrick, out of Cambridge, Ont., circuited the 1.973-mile, 14-turn temporary road course in 80.318 seconds for an average speed of 88.433 mph. The time beat the previous track record of 80.797 seconds (87.909 mph) established by Andrew Ranger on July 25, 2008. This will be the first Canadian Tire Series event in Edmonton that will not have Ranger, who is not entered in the event, on the pole.

It is the first pole of the 2010 season for Fitzpatrick, 22, and the sixth of his career. He last started on the pole on Sept. 20, 2008 at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N .S.

Starting alongside Fitzpatrick on the front row will be Kerry Micks, who timed in at 80.644 seconds (88.076 mph).

The second row will consist of Anthony Simone with a time of 81.044 seconds (87.641 mph) and Trevor Seibert, who posted a time of 81.214 seconds (87.458 mph).

The remainder of the top 10 qualifiers was Scott Steckly, DJ Kennington, Ron Beauchamp Jr., Don Thomson Jr., Peter Klutt, and Jason Hathaway.

Of the hometown drivers, Daryl Harr, of St. Albert, Alberta had the 15th-fastest time while Todd Nichol, also of St. Alberta, and James Van Domselaar, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, will start from the 17th and 19th positions, respectively.

The Canadian Tire 100 presented by Konica Minolta is slated to go green at 11 a.m. MT on Sunday.

-source: nascar