Fastest Last Practice Speed: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 123.316mph, scheduled to qualify 4th out of 47 drivers

Martin wins pole at Bristol: #5-Mark Martin won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway with a lap of 124.484mph for his 5th pole of 2009 and 46th of his career [10th best all-time]. #16-Biffle will start 2nd followed by #82-Speed [the fastest of the go-or-go-homers], #66-Blaney, #17-Kenseth, #33-Bowyer, #07-Mears, #20-Logano, #39-Newman and #43-Sorenson. Points leader #14-Stewart will start way back in 30th. 2nd and 3rd in points, #24-Gordon and #48-Johnson will start 33rd and 21st respectfully.
The non Top-35 drivers who made the race: #82-Speed, #66-Blaney, #71-Gilliland, #08-Labonte, #4-Wimmer, #78-Smith, #37-Raines and #87-Nemechek.
The three drivers who failed to qualify: #36-Skinner, #13-Papis, #64-Wallace and #09-Almirola.(8-21-2009)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Bristol Motor Speedway:
#5-Mark Martin won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Sharpie 500 with a lap of 15.414 seconds, 124.484 mph.
This is his 46th pole in 746 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fifth pole and 12th top-10 start in 2009. The last time Martin had five poles in a season was 1993.
This is his ninth pole in 42 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
#16-Greg Biffle (second) posted his 10th top-10 start of 2009 and his seventh in 14 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
#82-Scott Speed (third) posted his first top-10 start at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his fifth in 23 races this season.
Scott Speed (third) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(8-21-2009)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for Friday, August 21, 2009 at 5:40pm/et.
TV: ESPN2 - 5:30pm/et
Radio: PRN Radio and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio
Qualifying Re-Air: none scheduled

Pole Progression: (who had the pole first, who got it next and who ended up with it)
#26-McMurray, 1st out to qualify, 123.245mph, starts 17th
#42-Montoya, 2nd out, 123.586mph, starts 11th
#5-Martin, 10th out, 124.484mph, starts 1st

How did the non Top-35 teams do in qualifying?
Fastest 7 get in, 8th [43rd] spot goes to most recent past champ not in the race already or 8th fastest
[47 entered for 43 spots]:
have qualified for the race:
#82-Scott Speed, 124.146
#66-Dave Blaney, 123.969
#71-David Gilliland, 123.586
#08-Terry Labonte [PC1], 122.843
#4-Scott Wimmer, 122.646
#78-Regan Smith, 122.576
#37-Tony Raines, 122.217
#87-Joe Nemechek, 121.566
will miss the race:
#36-Mike Skinner, 121.497
#13-Max Papis, 120.392
#64-Mike Wallace, 119.432
#09-Aric Almirola, 118.694

Rookie of the Year Candidates:
how fast were they and where do they start:
#13-Max Papis (X), 120.392mph, DNQ
#20-Joey Logano, 123.706mph, starts 8th
#82-Scott Speed (X), 124.497mph, starts 3rd
(X) = needs to race their way in to the race
DNR = Did not race
DNQ = Did not qualify for race

Some Qualifying Notes:
#09-Almirola was the last driver out and slid and smacked the wall, was able to turn around to run his 2nd lap, but was not fast enough to make the race. #11-Hamlin spun off turn 2 on his first lap, turned around and ran his 2nd lap

Practice Results:
Practice Speeds Page

Race info at: Race Info Page

Event Entry List

Past Champions Provisional page

All Time Sprint Cup Pole Winners

After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Last Years Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
#6) - Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) - Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)