Did Harvick get ’The Call’?

A reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, It never ceases to amaze me how the NASCAR bubbas don't see what I think I see, NASCAR's manipulation of the qualifying times to conveniently give a driver pole. Their latest opportunity was this weekend. Harvick drives in place of Dale Earnhardt, the NASCAR hero that was killed. Earnhardt, who would have been 54 Friday (how convenient, let the bleeding hearts cheer), won nine races at Talladega, making Childress the winningest car owner to compete there. Mysteriously Harvick picked up considerably from his practice speeds Friday with a qualifying lap of 189.804 mph that was virtually unchallenged. It's NASCAR's timing and scoring system. Can they program it to show a qualifying time that would put the driver they want on pole? Hector Rodriguez, Mexico City Dear Hector, Yes, they can program their timing and scoring system to display a time for any driver they want to be on pole. And while it happens quite often, there is no evidence that NASCAR does this so it makes no sense to make accusations without hard evidence. Even if they did, it does not really affect the outcome of the race, it just gives a little free PR where NASCAR might like some. Mark C.