NASCAR: Jeff Gordon Takes Food City 500 Pole

Husqvarna president Dave Zerfoss and vice president of sale Tony Marchese were on hand to present Gordon with the Husqvarna Pole Day Award. Photo courtesy: Bristol Motor Speedway

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Jeff Gordon captured his fifth pole at Bristol Motor Speedway during Husqvarna Pole Day Friday and will go after his sixth win at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile during Sunday’s Food City 500.

Husqvarna president Dave Zerfoss and vice president of sale Tony Marchese were on hand to present Gordon with the Husqvarna Pole Day Award, a genuine Husqvarna chain saw on a wooden base.

“Bristol Motor Speedway and Husqvarna share a love for power and speed,” said BMS president and general manager Jeff Byrd. “We had a spectacular crowd today for Husqvarna’s first experience as sponsor of pole day and a great run by Jeff Gordon. This is a perfect way to kick off the weekend for Bristol Motor Speedway and a fantastic start to our partnership with Husqvarna.”

Gordon, driving the Car of Tomorrow’s Chevrolet Impala SS, recorded a lap of 125.452 mph at 15.295 seconds.

Sunday’s race will feature the debut of the new car that all competitors will be driving.

Teammates Kasey Kahne (125.313) and Elliott Sadler (125.183) will start second and third respectively, followed by Tony Stewart (125.117) and Jamie McMurray (124.906).

The Food City 500 takes the green flag at 2:20 PM ET on Sunday.

FOOD CITY 500 Starting Line-up:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Elliott Sadler
4. Tony Stewart
5. Jamie McMurray
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Dave Blaney
8. Scott Riggs
9. Jeff Green
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Greg Biffle
12. Regan Smith
13. Martin Truex Jr.
14. Ward Burton
15. Ken Schrader
16. Casey Mears
17. Tony Raines Chevrolet
18. Clint Bowyer
19. Mike Bliss
20. Kyle Busch
21. Sterling Marlin
22. Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL 123.770 15.503 -0.208
23. Jeremy Mayfield
24. Ricky Rudd
25. Brian Vickers
26. Kyle Petty
27. Kenny Wallace
28. Bobby Labonte
29. Jeff Burton
30. Dale Jarrett
31. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
32. Carl Edwards
33. David Stremme
34. Robby Gordon
35. David Gilliland
36. Juan Montoya
37. J.J. Yeley
38. Matt Kenseth
39. Reed Sorenson
40. Kevin Harvick
41. David Ragan
42. Kurt Busch
43. A.J. Allmendinger

• Kevin Lepage
• David Reutimann
• Michael Waltrip
• Joe Nemechek
• Johnny Sauter
• Paul Menard

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