Edwards bounces back with Bud Pole at Dover

DOVER, Del. -- Carl Edwards has come full circle at Dover International Speedway, from 2003 when the rookie of the year crashed two trucks and finished last, to winning the Bud Pole for Friday's Craftsman Truck Series MBNA America 200.

	Carl Edwards celebrates his Bud Pole Award. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Edwards, battling Dennis Setzer for the series points lead, headed a pack of eight trucks which broke the four-year-old qualifying record on Thursday.

Edwards, a Columbia, Mo. veteran, at the wheel of the No. 99 Ford, ran a lap of 152.893 mph, about two-hundreths of a second quicker than the No. 16 Chevrolet of three-time series champion Jack Sprague.

The pole was Edwards' second on the series and -- ironically -- shattered the one-lap record set by Roush Racing driver Kurt Busch in 2000. The old mark, also in the No. 99 Ford, was 151.764.

	Steve Park will start third in Friday's race in the No. 62 Dodge. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

"Last year I showed up and ran about 20 laps in practice and destroyed a truck," said Edwards. "And then we ran about six or seven laps in the race and destroyed another truck.

"That was really the low point in my career. It was an ugly, ugly weekend."

Since that race, Edwards has won four times -- including this season's opener at Daytona International Speedway. He finished second in the most recent race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, to Setzer, who leads the standings by 37 points.

Edwards fell victim to a NASCAR error in that race that may have cost him the win.

MBNA AMERICA 200  •  Lineup

Five days after the race, NASCAR officials verified the caution lights were unintentionally illuminated momentarily on Lap 130. Edwards slowed down, which allowed Setzer to pass Edwards for the lead -- and eventually the win.

Setzer qualified 15th for Friday's race.

Steve Park, Rick Crawford and Dave Blaney -- the latter making his first series appearance -- completed the top five qualifiers in a field of 35.

Mike Skinner, Bobby Hamilton, David Reutimann, Chad Chaffin and Ted Musgrave filled out the top 10. Musgrave is the only previous Dover winner in the field. He won the 2002 event.