HOMESTEAD, Fla., Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Jamie McMurray set a qualifying record Friday as he claimed top spot for the $4.745 million Ford 400, final NASCAR race under the Winston Cup banner.
Driving a Dodge Intrepid, McMurray covered the reconfigured 1 1/2-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway in 29.816 seconds, clocking 181.111 miles per hour.
It was the first pole in 42 career Winston Cup starts for McMurray, who has made the progression through the Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Grand National Series into Winston Cup.
McMurray already has a Winston Cup victory to his credit, filling in for the injured Sterling Marlin and winning the 2002 UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in just his second start.
Bobby Labonte will join McMurray on the front row after running a lap at 180.729 mph in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, just a hair faster than the Chevrolet of Brian Vickers.
