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Gordon Grabs Another Pole

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Jeff Gordon won't have to pass Jimmie Johnson this time.

The points leader failed for 53 laps at the end of the Nextel Cup spring race at Martinsville Speedway to get around his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, and wound up second as Johnson took the checkered flag on NASCAR's shortest circuit.

This time, Johnson will have to get around his teammate after Gordon won the pole for the Subway 500 at 94.974 mph on the 0.526-mile circuit on a rainy Friday.

The pole is the 63rd of Gordon's career, his seventh this season and the sixth of his career at Martinsville. He has also won seven times here, tops among active drivers, and he and his one-time protege have combined to win seven of the past nine events.

It's also bad news for the rest of the field, Gordon said.

'Qualifying, I think, throughout my career, but especially this year, too, it seems to really contribute greatly to our success,' said Gordon, the four-time series champion and points leader halfway through this year's 10-race Chase.

Johnson, 68 points back in second, will start fourth Sunday.

Chevrolet took the top four spots on the grid with Martin Truex Jr. earning the spot outside Gordon with a lap at 94.737 mph and Kevin Harvick third at 94.685 mph.

Truex has never started better than 15th in four previous races here.

After starting the playoffs in seventh place, Truex has fallen to 11th after five races, and said he's trying to salvage something in the final five events of the year.

'We're just going to go out there and try to win races,' he said.

The top 10 includes Kasey Kahne in a Dodge, the Chevys of Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and J.J. Yeley, Jamie McMurray's Ford and Tony Raines in a Chevrolet.

Clint Bowyer, 10 points behind Johnson in the points race, will start 21st. Zephyrhills' David Reutimann will start 19th in his Toyota.

GINN BANNER: Three Dale Earnhardt Inc. employees who allegedly planned and paid for a derogatory banner to fly over Lowe's Motor Speedway last weekend have been fired.

The banner, which read, 'How much does Bobby Ginn owe you?' was pulled by a plane and flown over Lowe's before the start of last Saturday night's race. The banner was directed at the former NASCAR team owner, who allowed his organization to be acquired by DEI after just one year of ownership, leaving about 100 people out of jobs.

But Kasey Brooks, Mike Clark and Greg Price were hired by DEI after the merger, and are believed to be responsible for the banner. Clark and Price were fabricators at DEI, and Brooks worked in the parts department.

'We addressed the situation internally, dealt with it appropriately and we're quite frankly embarrassed that this situation ever arose,' DEI general manager John Story said.

There have been grumblings throughout the garage that Ginn owes former employees back salaries, and drivers Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek and two crew chiefs have sued him for payment.

That lawsuit is in the final stages of being settled, and Ginn sent a Sept. 27 letter to most of his former employees that promised back-owed team bonuses would be paid in full via an Oct. 3 direct deposit.

PIT STOPS: Dale Earnhardt Inc. and director of competition Steve Hmiel have parted company, the company announced. It said Hmiel's responsibilities have been redistributed throughout the organization, and his replacement will be announced soon. ... Kyle Petty, starting 42nd, will make his 810th career start Sunday.

The Associated Press

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