CUP: Johnson Claims Another Pole

Sprint Cup

CUP: Johnson Claims Another Pole

Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports continue the strong message started last weekend at Indianapolis...

Tom Jensen | Posted August 01, 2008 Long Pond, Pa.

Jimmie Johnson continued his team's recent surge in Pocono qualifying. (LAT photo)

Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team sent a strong message last weekend at Indianapolis when he won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at the pole. On Friday at Pocono Raceway, Johnson & Co. delivered another even sharper message, capturing the pole for the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500.

Johnson didn’t merely earn the top qualifying position, he crushed the field in the process. Johnson’s lap was 168.215 miles per hour and his lap time was a full 0.209 seconds quicker than the time set by second-place Mark Martin and his Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet Impala SS. Martin’s speed was 167.560 mph.

And Martin, one of the most experienced drivers in NASCAR, said the sudden increase in performance by Johnson in recent weeks is something that the rest of the Sprint Cup field ought to be concerned about.

“They should be very frightened for what I saw for the last two weeks out of that group,” said Martin. “Beware of the 48. They’re showing just phenomenally.”

As for Johnson, the two-time defending Sprint Cup champion, he said his Hendrick Motorsports squad has overcome its early season struggles. “We never want to be fat and happy,” he said. “… We need to keep pushing forward and stay hungry.”

Starting on the inside of Row 2 on Sunday will be the Yates Racing Ford Fusion of David Gilliland, who qualified at 167.187 mph. He’ll be flanked on Sunday by Johnson’s teammate, four-time Pocono winner Jeff Gordon, who ran 167.106 mph in his Hendrick Chevy.

“I was very, very happy with our car in race trim, too,” said Gilliland. “It’s something to be proud of for Yates Racing and we need a good, solid day. We’re still in search for a primary sponsor and runs like this can only help.”

Matt Kenseth completed the top five in his Roush Fenway Racing Ford, lapping the 2.5-mile, three-turn Pocono track at 166.784 mph. Then came the Dodge Chargers of Ryan Newman and June Pocono winner Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers in the first Toyota Camry, Greg Biffle in a second Roush Ford and Kurt Busch in the other Penske Dodge.

Among other drivers of note, Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified 12th, Tony Stewart 20th and points leader Kyle Busch 27th.

There will be two rounds of practice on Saturday morning, from 10-10:45 a.m. and 11:20-12:20 p.m.

SUNOCO RED CROSS PENNSYLVANIA 500 QUALIFYING RESULTS

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to

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