NASCAR: Jeff Gordon on Pole for Sunday's Auto Club 500

Oregon native Mike Bliss failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

FONTANA, Calif. - Jeff Gordon turned in a fastest lap of 38.765 seconds (185.735 mph) at California Speedway Friday, earning the pole for Sunday's Auto Club 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

Gordon is a three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner at California Speedway. He enjoyed immediate success by winning the inaugural Cup Series race at the Speedway in June 1997. He went on to capture the checkered flag in 1999 and 2004, as well.

The driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet will lead the pack, with Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top five.

You can see the Auto Club 500 live on Fox at noon (PT) on Sunday.

Auto Club 500 Qualifying Results:

1. Jeff Gordon

2. Kasey Kahne

3. Mark Martin

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

6. Clint Bowyer

7. Martin Truex Jr.

8. Jeff Burton

9. Juan Pablo Montoya

10. Casey Mears

11. Tony Stewart

12. Kyle Busch

13. Greg Biffle

14. Dave Blaney

15. Brian Vickers

16. Jeff Green

17. Denny Hamlin

18. Kurt Busch

19. Ryan Newman

20. Reed Sorenson

21. Carl Edwards

22. Paul Menard

23. Jimmie Johnson

24. David Stremme

25. Matt Kenseth

26. Joe Nemechek

27. Sterling Marlin

28. Bobby Labonte

29. J.J. Yeley

30. Scott Riggs

31. Johnny Sauter

32. John Andretti

33. David Reutimann

34. Ricky Rudd

35. Jamie McMurray

36. Ken Schrader

37. Kyle Petty

38. Elliott Sadler

39. David Ragan

40. David Gilliland

41. Tony Raines

42. Robby Gordon

Failed To Qualify

AJ Allmendinger

Brandon Whitt

Dale Jarrett

Jeremy Mayfield

Kenny Wallace

Kevin Lepage

Michael Waltrip

Mike Bliss

Ward Burton

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