POST-QUALIFYING INSPECTION DEEMS ALLTEL DODGE TOO LOW; NEWMAN STARTS 42ND

What started as a good qualifying run that left Newman in second beside pole sitter Jimmie Johnson, turned into a bad start for Ryan Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger at Kansas Speedway.

Newman was just three one-hundredths of a second slower than Johnson, but following post-qualifying inspection, NASCAR officials deemed the Alltel Dodge Charger’s roof was too low and the right-rear quarter panel was too high. NASCAR disallowed Newman’s qualifying run, which relegated Newman to the 42nd starting position for Sunday’s 267-lap race in Kansas.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Newman said. “The car got through inspection before qualifying, but something wasn’t right when we went back through inspection after our run. We’ll just have to make up for this setback on Sunday.”

The team will also lose its position in pit stall selection. Instead of picking second, the team will select 42nd.

Coverage of Sunday’s Lifelock 400 from Kansas will be broadcast by ABC and MRN Radio beginning at 1 p.m. EDT.

Line-up for the Lifelock 400:

1. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet
2. Matt Kenseth, No. 17 DeWalt Ford
3. Scott Riggs, No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge
4. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet
5. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Freight Chevrolet
12. Kurt Busch, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge
42. Ryan Newman, No. 12 Alltel Dodge

"It was a good run for us. We picked up from practice and not many people did. I think (Jimmie) Johnson was the only other one that did. It was a good run for the alltell Dodge. We had four this year (poles), just so you know. Don’t sell me out short. It was a great effort for the Alltel Dodge and hopefully we’ll just keep going here."