Gordon will start in front at Martinsville

Rival Johnson qualifies fourth

Jeff Gordon won't have to pass Jimmie Johnson this time.

The points leader failed for 53 laps at the end of the NASCAR Nextel Cup spring race 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. Gordon won the pole for the Subway 500 at 94.974 mph on the 0.526-mile circuit on a rainy Friday in Martinsville, Va.

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

The pole 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 season's 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup championship playoff.

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

"I love Martinsville," Gordon said. "This is a track where ... we just hit on some things early on in my career and as much as some guys struggle here, it's quite the opposite for me. I just really like this track and when you like a track and you run well at a track, all you have to do is fine-tune your set-up and make it better."

Gordon and the rest of the field didn't get much time to fine-tune anything before qualifying because intermittent rain meant track-drying equipment got the most laps.

"It was a tricky day with the limited practice," Gordon said.

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

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' Chevy.

Clint Bowyer, 10 points behind Johnson, will start 21st.

The day was a good one for Toyota, which placed five cars in the field, led by Dave Blaney in 17th position. Blaney has finished third and sixth the last two weeks.

"Now I just have to survive the race on Sunday," he said.

Ward Burton, who is from South Boston about an hour from the track, made it into the field, qualifying 36th, ending the bid of IndyCar star Sam Hornish Jr. to make his series debut.

"It's tough, but we knew it was going to be tough," Hornish said.

Kyle Petty, starting 42nd, will make his 810th career start.

END OF THE LINE: Dale Earnhardt Inc. and director of competition Steve Hmiel have parted company, DEI said Thursday.

Hmiel's responsibilities have been redistributed throughout the organization, and his replacement will be announced soon.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FESTIVAL FUN: The 19th annual NASCAR Day Festival takes place today in downtown Randleman, the home of Petty Enterprises for more than 58 years.

Randleman is located 17 miles south of Greensboro. Event hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the day will be capped by a 7:30 p.m. fireworks display sponsored by Richard and Lynda Petty. Learn more by calling (336) 495-1100 or go to www.randlemanchamber.com.

BIFFLE MARRIES: Driver Greg Biffle married his longtime girlfriend Nicole Lunders on Wednesday evening at the Palmetto Bluff Resort in South Carolina.

FROM TEAM AND EVENT NEWS RELEASES