Carpentier tops opening Busch series practice

UPDATE A reader writes, What a surprise! Patrick Carpentier fastest in first practice at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve! No prior experience in a Busch Stock Car, first session against circuit veterans at an inaugural national event, and the local hometown hero gets fastest time for the local press to write home about. This must be legit, because even Hollywood couldn't make this up … and oh, gullible is not written in the dictionary. Alex Melikian, Montreal, Canada

Dear Alex, And for the Mexico City Busch Series races the Mexican drivers have almost always sat on the pole or qualified near the front. Remember, everything in NASCAR happens for a reason. It's big business, but the question is whether it is still a sport or more akin to the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

08/02/07
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
1 22 Patrick Carpentier Zellers & Komatsu Dodge 103.898s 93.865mph
2 41 Scott Pruett Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Dodge 104.091 93.691
3 9 Boris Said Hellmann's Mayonnaise Dodge 104.338 93.469
4 33 Ron Fellows Camping World Chevrolet 104.341 93.467
5 *55 Robby Gordon Camping World Ford 104.676 93.168
6 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Ford 104.816 93.043
7 42 Michael Valiante Texaco/Havoline Dodge 104.986 92.892
8 47 Andy Lally Clorox/TRG Ford 105.177 92.724
9 66 Steve Wallace HomeLife Communities Dodge 105.407 92.521
10 1 Max Papis Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet 105.447 92.486
11 21 Kevin Harvick AutoZone Chevrolet 105.867 92.119
12 28 Niclas Jonsson Yellow Transportation Chevrolet 105.891 92.099
13 37 Greg Biffle Cub Cadet Ford 106.017 91.989
14 88 Andy Pilgrim U.S. NAVY Chevrolet 106.107 91.911
15 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Ford 106.571 91.511
16 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevrolet 106.600 91.486
17 20 Aric Almirola Rockwell Automation Chevrolet 106.609 91.478
18 77 Ron Hornaday Dollar General Chevrolet 106.880 91.246
19 90 Stephen Leicht citifinancial Ford 106.907 91.223
20 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota 106.909 91.222
21 18 Brad Coleman # FedEx Express Chevrolet 106.911 91.220
22 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 107.100 91.059
23 36 Brent Sherman BIG LOTS Chevrolet 107.264 90.920
24 27 Jorge Goeters Scott Towels/Wal Mart Ford 107.510 90.712
25 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 107.616 90.622
26 99 David Reutimann NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 107.634 90.607
27 *30 Stanton Barrett Interush.net Chevrolet 108.100 90.217
28 *0 John Fitzpatrick Jr. Home Hardware Chevrolet 108.251 90.091
29 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevrolet 108.728 89.695
30 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr. McDonald's Ford 109.043 89.436
31 *17 Michel Jourdain Dish Network Ford 109.821 88.803
32 16 Todd Kluever 3M Ford 109.948 88.700
33 21 Brandon Miller AutoZone Chevrolet 110.929 87.916
34 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 112.346 86.807
35 *72 D.J. Kennington Northern Provincial Pipelines Dodge 113.449 85.963
36 10 John Graham Kick Butt Amped Energy Ballz Toyota 114.399 85.249
37 *63 Mike MacKenzie Forbes Chevrolet Chevrolet 115.085 84.741
38 *98 Alex Garcia Dixien/Omni Source Chevrolet 0.000 0.000