Full Throttle

Jamie McMurray - Ganassi lame duck¹ - was the surprise pole winner for todays running of the Pennsylvania 500 in Long Pond Pa. It was McMurray’s second career pole and first since the final race of the 2003 season and made him the 18^th different pole winner in the last 19 Pocono races.

Series points leader Jimmie Johnson turned in a fine effort in a backup car after a practice crash and will start inside the fifth row. In another surprise Ken Schrader starts 12^th in the Schwan’s Home Service Dodge.

Carl Edwards, winner of the June event at Pocono, has his work cut out for him. He starts at the tail of the field after ARCA regular Bobby Gerhart qualified his #99 Office Depot/Scotts Ford. Edwards missed the qualifing session - and continued racking up frequent flyer miles - while in Colorado for the Busch event at Pikes Peak.

Michael Waltrip won the pole in the spring race and the soon-to-be former DEI driver posted a less than solid effort - 24th quickest. But even that mediocre effort over shadowed team-mate Dale Earnhardt Jr who starts seven rows further back in 38^th.

1. Ganassi Racing to pick up McMurray’s option [back]

1 42 Jamie McMurray Havoline-Texaco Dodge 53.330 168.761
2 97 Kurt Busch IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford 53.402 168.533
3 6 Mark Martin Viagra Ford 53.450 168.382
4 12 Ryan Newman Mobil 1/alltel Dodge 53.492 168.249
5 21 Ricky Rudd Motorcraft Genuine Parts Ford 53.617 167.857
6 20 Tony Stewart The Home Depot Chevrolet 53.721 167.532
7 16 Greg Biffle National Guard Ford 53.818 167.230
8 25 Brian Vickers GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet 53.818 167.230
9 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 53.869 167.072
10 29 Kevin Harvick GM Goodwrench Chevrolet 53.869 167.072
11 22 Scott Wimmer Caterpillar Dodge 53.921 166.911
12 49 Ken Schrader Schwan’s Home Service Dodge 53.985 166.713
13 2 Rusty Wallace Miller Lite Dodge 54.027 166.583
14 01 Joe Nemechek U.S. Army Chevrolet 54.063 166.472
15 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 54.146 166.217
16 19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 54.153 166.196

17 31 Jeff Burton Cingular Wireless Chevrolet 54.224 165.978
18 10 Scott Riggs Valvoline Chevrolet 54.233 165.951
19 11 Jason Leffler FedEx Ground Chevrolet 54.265 165.853
20 88 Dale Jarrett UPS Ford 54.282 165.801
21 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 54.298 165.752
22 07 Dave Blaney Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet 54.324 165.673
23 18 Bobby Labonte Interstate Batteries Chevrolet 54.347 165.603
24 15 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 54.470 165.229
25 40 Sterling Marlin Coors Light Dodge 54.521 165.074
26 43 Jeff Green Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge 54.561 164.953
27 32 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Tide Chevrolet 54.621 164.772
28 5 Kyle Busch # Kellogg’s Chevrolet 54.645 164.699
29 7 Robby Gordon Jim Beam Chevrolet 54.645 164.699
30 17 Matt Kenseth DeWalt Power Tools Ford 54.711 164.501
31 4 Mike Wallace Lucas Oil/Wide Open Energy Drink Chevrole 54.854 164.072
32 66 Mike Garvey # Jani-King Ford 54.858 164.060
33 45 Kyle Petty Kyle Petty Charity Ride/Brawny Dodge 54.954 163.773
34 0 Mike Bliss Net Zero Best Buy Chevrolet 55.058 163.464
35 13 Greg Sacks Sacks Motorsports Dodge 55.063 163.449
36 34 P.J. Jones TBA Chevrolet 55.091 163.366
37 37 Kevin Lepage BoSPOKER.net Dodge 55.132 163.245
38 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Chevrolet 55.375 162.528
39 38 Elliott Sadler M&M’s Ford 55.657 161.705
40 77 Travis Kvapil # Kodak/Jasper Eng. & Trans. Dodge 55.967 160.809
41 99 Bobby Gerhart Office Depot/Scotts Ford Owner Points
42 41 Casey Mears Target Dodge Owner Points
43 27 Kirk Shelmerdine L.R. Lyons & Sons Ford 55.154 163.179

Did Not Qualify: Morgan Shepherd; Hermie Sadler; Carl Long; Derrike Cope.