BROOKLYN, Mich. -- A driver always remembers his first Cup Series race, and for Brad Coleman, that memory comes at the 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

Just 20 years old and not even considered a veteran in the Nationwide Series with 43 races under his belt, Coleman will make his Cup Series debut on the 2-mile Michigan oval and he is ready to show what he can do.

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I've got to get used to 400 miles instead of 300 miles like in a Nationwide race. I've got a new hydration plan so I don't lose any fluids -- I've really been preparing.

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BRAD COLEMAN

"There's always pressure on a driver to perform," Coleman said. "I don't want to go out there and make any mistakes. I don't want to look like an idiot. My biggest goal is to just be smooth and gain as much respect as I can."

His first step came Friday during qualifying, where Coleman had to race the No. 96 Toyota in on speed due to its position in the owner standings. With just 44 cars scheduled to qualify, only one would be going home. That dubious honor went to Johnny Sauter while Coleman put his Toyota in the field, albeit barely, qualifying 43rd with a lap of 182.030 mph (Lineup).

Starting dead-last won't be easy for Coleman, but just making the field puts a smile on the youngster's face.

"I really didn't realize how nerve-racking qualifying would be until I came down to do it," Coleman said. "When I got in the car and started to go around, I could feel the nerves. After I made the lap and they told me I was in, I was just really excited.

"My No. 1 goal was to make the race and my No. 2 goal is to get as many laps as I can without any incident."

That shouldn't be too much of a problem for Coleman. In 43 Nationwide races, he has just seven DNFs, and he has some experience at Michigan. In last year's Nationwide race, Coleman qualified 17th, stayed out of trouble and brought home a respectable 15th-place finish.

But that was in a Nationwide car -- this is the Cup Series and things are dramatically different.

"[The biggest difference is] the distance," Coleman said. "I've got to get used to 400 miles instead of 300 miles like in a Nationwide race. I've got a new hydration plan so I don't lose any fluids -- I've really been preparing.

"There's a big difference between the Nationwide car and the Cup car. The Cup car goes a lot faster down the straightaways but a lot slower through the corners. You have to get accustomed to rolling through slower than normal but punching the gas once you come out."

Things didn't improve much for Coleman during Saturday practice. His name was at the very bottom of the list, 43rd, in both sessions. The morning session saw Coleman lay down a lap of 176.548 mph, 1.8 seconds behind session leader Denny Hamlin.

The afternoon wasn't much better as Coleman had a fast lap of 174.991 mph. Carl Edwards paced the afternoon session with a lap of 182.537 followed by Kevin Harvick at 181.873.

Despite being down at the bottom of the speed chart, and the pressure of his first Cup race, Coleman isn't showing signs of buckling under the pressure. In fact, giddy might be a good word to describe the feeling he has this weekend, especially cruising the garage in his new Cup Series driver's suit.

"It's a good-looking suit. I want to wear it all the time, but I don't want to look like an idiot," Coleman said. "Last night was the best night of sleep I had. This is fun and I'm glad to be a part of it."

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