Newman snatches top spot

LOUDON, N.H.- Friday was payback time for Ryan Newman at New Hampshire International Speedway.

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Newman won the pole (his fourth of the season) for Sunday's Siemens 300, clocking a qualifying speed of 132.360 miles per hour.

In the process, Newman, who was the last of 46 drivers to qualify, evened an old score with Nextel Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson, who will start alongside Newman on the front row after clocking a qualifying speed of 131.984 mph. Johnson held the pole for more than half the qualifying session before Newman knocked him off.

"Without sounding too cocky, I just told him that I was doing my best to get him back from Charlotte when he went out last and got us for the pole when we went out fairly early," Newman said. "The good part of that is it's nice to be able to get somebody back after they got you, but then it's their turn."

Johnson, who will be going for a third straight win at Loudon on Sunday, wasn't particularly surprised when Newman snatched the pole away from him.

"I was really excited and happy with that lap that we made," Johnson said. "I thought that it might be strong enough to win the pole, but knowing that Ryan and the 12 team came up and tested here, I knew in the back of my head that they were going to be real tough for the pole and also for the win Sunday. "I was hoping it was going to be enough, but he got me back."

Busch Series points leader Martin Truex Jr., subbing for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr., qualified third at 131.660 mph in his first-ever Nextel Cup qualifying effort.

Earnhardt's teammate, Michael Waltrip, qualified fourth at 131.488 mph, with Jamie McMurray fifth at 131.442, Kasey Kahne sixth at 131.410, Jeremy Mayfield seventh at 131.198, Rusty Wallace eighth at 131.107, Tony Stewart ninth at 131.058 and Ricky Craven 10th at 130.981 mph

GORDON'S BID FAILS: Jeff Gordon's bid for a fifth straight Bud Pole ended early, and without much of a fight. He will start Sunday's race on the 12th row.

Gordon, who was bidding to tie the Nextel Cup Series record of five consecutive poles held by Cale Yarborough and Bill Elliott, was the first driver on the track for qualifying and could only manage a speed of 129.860 mph, which ended up being 24th fastest.

"We certainly didn't need that (going first) today because we were already having a problem," Gordon said. "We were just off. We can't really seem to put our finger on it. We just can't get comfortable. "That's certainly not a good lap. This didn't help us by drawing the number one spot, but we'll go to work on it tomorrow and get it going good for the race and work our way up through there."

MCMURRAY TAKES BUSCH POLE: Jamie McMurray made his debut for Rusty Wallace's Busch team one to remember, taking the pole for today's Siemens 200 with a lap at 130.006 mph.

"It's really cool that we won the Busch pole, especially getting to drive for Rusty," McMurray said. "I'm still a little intimidated by the guy. He's one of the guys I don't talk to a lot in the garage. He's always busy it looks like, but I'm really excited about driving for him. It's one of the best Busch teams in the series, incredible equipment and it's really cool driving for him."