Jeff Gordon Takes Michigan Pole
BROOKLYN, Mich. ? In a game of Hendrick Motorsports tag, Jeff Gordon came out the winner. Jimmie Johnson was the first Hendrick driver to put up the fastest lap in qualifying Friday, only to see Gordon knock him off.
Then, late in the session as Gordon appeared assured of the pole for Sunday’s DHL 400 at Michigan International Speedway, teammate and rookie Brian Vickers nearly stole it away. Instead, Gordon’s lap at 190.865 mph held up for the pole ? his second of the season and 48th of his Cup career.
Hendrick Motorsports still swept the top three, with Vickers second and Johnson third. Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon completed the top five.
Johnson “has been wearing us out here in the last several weeks. I’m sure he doesn’t mind if we sneak one in there,” said Gordon. “The car has just been phenomenal since we unloaded it.”
Gordon’s pole came at a good time for the No. 24 team. Gordon suffered through races at Charlotte and Dover, Del., with two finishes of 30th or worse. He rebounded last week with a fourth at Pocono and was hoping to keep momentum going in the right direction.
Johnson, last weekend’s race winner, was upbeat about the Hendrick Motorsports performance Friday. Only Terry Labonte (31st) failed to qualify in the top five.
“I think this shows the vision that (owner) Rick Hendrick had,” he said. “It started with Ricky Hendrick and Jack Sprague bringing two (Busch) cars under one roof, and have the veteran help the rookie and building cars that are identical with the same engines. “Rick had a vision and he stuck to it with the No. 24 and No. 48.
Vickers’ No. 25 hasn’t been a slouch lately, either. Sunday will be Vickers’ sixth consecutive start of sixth or better, including his first career pole last month at Richmond, Va.
“All year long I’ve said that Hendrick Motorsports builds a team slowly but solidly,” he said. “We might not always come out of the box like a blazing bullet, but in the long run we’re going to build a solid team that’s more competitive week in and week out. “It’s taken time. Last year (in the Busch Series), it took time. But when it’s there, it stays there.”
Series points leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 11th fastest. Kerry Earnhardt, failed to qualify for the race in a fourth Richard Childress Racing entry.
Source: ThatsRacin
