Ryan Newman set the pace at Martinsville Speedway in qualifying for Sundays TUMS Fast Relief 500, the sixth race in the 10 season-ending Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Newman grabbed top spot with a lap of 96.795 mph, marking his second pole of the season and the 45th of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career.
Jeff Gordon put his #24 car in second with a lap of 96.519mph ahead of Martin Truex Jr.
Despite being 135 points behind Chase leader Jimmie Johnson, Gordon refuses to give up just yet as he chases his fifth championship.
“Right now our focus is to go out and at least put some pressure on them to know that we are not just going to run around and finish second and that we can compete with them,” Gordon said of Johnson, “As much for trying to win the championship this year as well as getting ourselves prepared for next season. We are thinking about now as well as the future.”
Johnson will start Sundays race down in fifthteenth place after managing a lap of 95.641mph.
“It still isn't over” said Johnson, “Mark's going to fight until the very last lap at Homestead, and Gordon, too. And Stewart's right there in fourth.”
Joey Logano was fastest of the rookies, posting the seventh fastest time.
Pos Driver Make Speed Time 1. Ryan Newman Chevrolet 96.795 19.563 2. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 96.519 19.619 + 0.056 3. Martin Truex Jr Chevrolet 96.509 19.621 + 0.058 4. Mark Martin Chevrolet 96.504 19.622 + 0.059 5. David Reutimann Toyota 96.117 19.701 + 0.138 6. Casey Mears Chevrolet 96.054 19.714 + 0.151 7. Joey Logano Toyota 96.034 19.718 + 0.155 8. Bobby Labonte Ford 96.010 19.723 + 0.160 9. Reed Sorenson Dodge 95.995 19.726 + 0.163 10. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 95.908 19.744 + 0.181 11. David Stremme Dodge 95.903 19.745 + 0.182 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 95.830 19.760 + 0.197 13. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 95.825 19.761 + 0.198 14. David Ragan Ford 95.815 19.763 + 0.200 15. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 95.777 19.771 + 0.208 16. A.J. Allmendinger Dodge 95.772 19.772 + 0.209 17. Denny Hamlin Toyota 95.762 19.774 + 0.211 18. Scott Speed Toyota 95.607 19.806 + 0.243 19. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 95.578 19.812 + 0.249 20. Greg Biffle Ford 95.574 19.813 + 0.250 21. Juan Montoya Chevrolet 95.545 19.819 + 0.256 22. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 95.501 19.828 + 0.265 23. Jamie McMurray Ford 95.477 19.833 + 0.270 24. Brian Vickers Toyota 95.429 19.843 + 0.280 25. Travis Kvapil Dodge 95.381 19.853 + 0.290 26. Kasey Kahne Dodge 95.371 19.855 + 0.292 27. John Andretti Chevrolet 95.333 19.863 + 0.300 28. Joe Nemechek Toyota 95.304 19.869 + 0.306 29. Carl Edwards Ford 95.275 19.875 + 0.312 30. Paul Menard Ford 95.271 19.876 + 0.313 31. Sam Hornish Jr Dodge 95.242 19.882 + 0.319 32. Matt Kenseth Ford 95.232 19.884 + 0.321 33. Robby Gordon Toyota 95.223 19.886 + 0.323 34. Marcos Ambrose Toyota 95.194 19.892 + 0.329 35. David Gilliland Chevrolet 95.070 19.918 + 0.355 36. Michael Waltrip Toyota 94.984 19.936 + 0.373 37. Kurt Busch Dodge 94.889 19.956 + 0.393 38. Sterling Marlin Dodge 94.789 19.977 + 0.414 39. Dave Blaney Toyota 94.689 19.998 + 0.435 40. Elliott Sadler Dodge 94.661 20.004 + 0.441 41. Kyle Busch Toyota 94.652 20.006 + 0.443 42. Michael McDowell Toyota 94.637 20.009 + 0.446 43. Derrike Cope Toyota 93.539 20.244 + 0.681
