Fastest Last Practice Speed: #39-Ryan Newman, 179.866mph, scheduled to qualify 19th out of 46 drivers

Truex wins pole at Atlanta: #1-Martin Truex Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a lap of 184.149mph for his 2nd pole of the season and 3rd pole of his career. #9-Kahne was 2nd fastest followed by #48-Johnson, #24-Gordon, #18-Busch, #2-Busch, #5-Martin, #83-Vickers, #12-Stremme and #11-Hamlin. Points leader #14-Stewart will start 12th.
The non Top-35 drivers who made the race: #21-Gilliland, #71-BLabonte, #82-Speed, #87-Nemechek, #66-Blaney, #09-Bliss, #13-Papis and #08-TLabonte (using the past champions provisional).
The three drivers who failed to qualify: #78-Smith, #36-Carpentier and #37-Raines.(9-5-2009)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Atlanta Motor Speedway:
#1-Martin Truex Jr. won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Pep Boys Auto 500 with a lap of 30.106 seconds, 184.149 mph.
This is his third pole in 142 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and sixth top-10 start in 2009. His first pole of 2009 was for the Daytona 500.
This is his first pole in ten races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
#9-Kasey Kahne (second) posted his 13th top-10 start of 2009 and his seventh in 12 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
#48-Jimmie Johnson (third) posted his 11th top-10 start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his 19th in 25 races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(9-5-2009)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 4:40pm/et.
TV: SPEED - 4:30pm/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)
#34-Andretti, 1st out to qualify, 179.400mph, starts 40th
#48-Johnson, 2nd out, 183.358mph, starts 3rd
#9-Kahne, 9th out, 183.497mph, starts 2nd
#1-Truex Jr., 32nd out, 184.149mph, 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
[46 entered for 43 spots]:
will make the race, via the Past Champ Provisional:
#08-Terry Labonte [PC1],
have qualified for the race:
#21-David Gilliland, 181.449
#71-Bobby Labonte, 181.129
#82-Scott Speed, 180.152
#87-Joe Nemechek, 179.901
#66-Dave Blaney, 179.673
#09-Mike Bliss, 179.586
#13-Max Papis, 179.505
#08-Terry Labonte [PC1], 177.681 using the past champions provisional
will miss the race:
#78-Regan Smith, 178.574
#36-Patrick Carpentier, 177.670
#37-Tony Raines, 176.089

Rookie of the Year Candidates:
how fast were they and where do they start:
#13-Max Papis (X), ?mph, starts 39th
#20-Joey Logano, 179.988mph, starts 34th
#82-Scott Speed (X), 180.152mph, starts 32nd
(X) = needs to race their way in to the race
DNR = Did not race
DNQ = Did not qualify for race

Some Qualifying Notes:
none...yet

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)