BRISTOL, Tenn., March 23 (UPI) -- Jeff Gordon captured the pole Friday for Sunday's running of the Food City 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.
This race will be the first Nextel Cup event in which the so-called Car of Tomorrow will be raced. The cars have new features mandated by NASCAR to promote safety along with less expensive racing.
The new cars will be featured in nine other races this year and will be used full time by the start of the 2009 season.
Gordon won the 58th pole of his career, tying him for fifth on NASCAR's all-time list with Bobby Allison. Richard Petty owns the record with 126 poles.
Kasey Kahne qualified second, followed by Elliott Sadler and Tony Stewart. Jimmie Johnson, who is on a two-race winning streak, qualified sixth.
