These are the fastest speeds recently (last race at that track - barring rain out of qualifying) at the other tour tracks
[track record/date in bracket]:

1)  Texas, 193.736mph [Track Record 196.235 Nov 2006]
2)  Charlotte, 191.959 [193.216 Oct 2005]
3)  Michigan, 190.345 [194.232 June 2005]
4)  Las Vegas, 188.884 [188.884 March 2011 (old layout 174.904 March 2004)]
5)  Atlanta, 186.196 [197.478mph Nov 1997]
6)  Auto Club, 184.653 [188.245 Feb 2005]
7)  Chicago, 183.243 [188.147 July 2005]
8)  Indianapolis, 182.994 [186.293 Aug 2004]
9)  Daytona, 182.065 [210.364 Feb 1987 before restrictor plates]
10) Talladega, 181.367 [212.809 April 1987 before restrictor plates]
11) Darlington, 181.254 [181.254 May 2011]
12) Homestead, 175.467 [181.111 Sept 2003] - old layout 156.440 Nov 2000
13) Kansas, 174.887 [180.856 Oct 2005]
14) Pocono, 172.055 [172.533 June 2004]
15) Dover, 159.004 [161.522 June 2004]
16) Phoenix, 137.101 [137.279 Feb 2011]
17) New Hampshire, 135.002 [135.232 July 2011]
18) Richmond, 127.383 [129.983 May 2004]
19) Watkins Glen, 126.421 [126.421 Aug 2011]
20) Bristol, 122.811 [128.709 Mar 2003]
21) Martinsville, 96.509 [98.083 Oct 2005]
22) Infineon Raceway, 93.893 [94.325 June 2005]
23) Kentucky Speedway, qualifying rained out in July 2011

Gordon pole extends streak: #24-Jeff Gordon won the pole for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, his 70th career pole, 3rd all time. It is the 19th straight season [every season he has been full time in Cup] that Gordon has won a pole, one behind the record of 20, held by David Pearson [1962-1981]. Gordon has also won 19 races from the pole, 6th all time, one behind Bobby Allison. Richard Petty holds that record at 61 followed by Pearson at 37.(4-17-2011)

Newman's streak reaches 11 season: #39-Ryan Newman won the pole for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, his 47th career pole, 10th all time. It is the 11th straight season [every season he has been in Cup inculding his part time run in 2001] that Newman has won a pole.(7-15-2011)

Four drivers from same team start 1-2-3-4: Only three times in NASCAR Spint Cup history has an organization swept the top four starting spots for a race. Owner Pete DePaolo's cars started 1-5 at Concord, N.C., in 1956; cars owned by Jack Roush claimed the top four spots on the grid at Fontana in 2005 and Hendrick Motorpsorts at Talladega in April 2011:
DePaolo Engineering, Concord NC, December 1956: Curtis Turner on pole, then Joe Weatherly, Marvin Panch, Ralph Moody and Bill Amick.
Roush Fenway Racing, Fontana, September 2005: Carl Edwards on pole, then Mark Martin, Kurt Busch & Greg Biffle.
Hendrick Motorsports, Talladega, April 2011: Jeff Gordon on pole, then Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin & Dale Earnhardt Jr.
(4-16-2011)

Won a pole in 2011 and extended or started their streaks with last pole listed:
19, Jeff Gordon, Talladega, April 2011 [2nd best pole streak ever, one behind Pearson]
11, Ryan Newman, New Hampshire, September 2011
5, Kyle Busch, Watkins Glen, August 2011
3, Juan Pablo Montoya, Richmond, April 2011
3, Kasey Kahne, Atlanta, September 2011
3, Mark Martin, Talladega, October 2011
3, Martin Truex Jr., Dover, October 2011
2, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona, February 2011
2, Carl Edwards, Bristol, March 2011
2, Jamie McMurray, Martinsville, April 2011
2. Kurt Busch, Michigan, June 2011
2, Joey Logano, Pocono, August 2011
1, Tony Stewart, Charlotte, October 2011
1, Brad Keselowski, Charlotte, May 2011
1, Matt Kenseth, Phoenix, November 2011
1, David Ragan, Indianapolis, July 2011
1, Greg Biffle, Texas, November 2011
1, David Reutimann, Richmond, September 2011

Drivers who won a pole in 2010 but failed to win one in 2011 and lost their streak:
9, Jimmie Johnson, Dover, September 2010
6, Denny Hamlin, Martinsville, October 2010
1, A.J. Allmendinger, Phoenix, April 2010
1, Elliott Sadler, Texas, October 2010

Drivers who won a pole in 2009 but failed to win one in 2010 and lost their streak:
2, David Reutimann, Dover, May 2009
2, Brian Vickers, MIchigan, August 2009
1, Mark Martin, Kansas, October 2009
1, Matt Kenseth, Darlington, May 2009

All Time Pole Season Streaks:
years, driver, from-to
20, David Pearson, 1962-1981
19, Jeff Gordon, 1993-2011 (current)
18, Richard Petty, 1960-1977
13, Darrell Waltrip, 1974-1986
12, Cale Yarborough, 1973-1984
12, Bill Elliott, 1984-1995
12, Mark Martin, 1988-1999
11, Bobby Allison, 1966-1976
11, Ryan Newman, 2001-2011 (current)
10, Geoff Bodine, 1982-1991
10, Buck Baker, ?
9, Jimmie Johnson, 2002-2010

Most Poles in one season [modern era 1972-present]:
Cale Yarborough, 1980, 14
Bill Elliott, 1985, 11
Darrell Waltrip, 1981, 11
Ryan Newman, 2003, 11

All Time Record for the most Poles in one season:
Bobby Issac, 1969, 20
Richard Petty, 1967, 19
Tim Flock, 1955, 18
Richard Petty, 1966, 16
Cale Yarborough, 1980, 14
David Pearson, 1969, 14
Bobby Issac, 1970, 13

Oldest Pole sitter?
Harry Gant, 54 years, 7 months, 15 days, Bristol, 8/26/1994, finished 9th
Mark Martin, 52 years, 5 months, 23 days, Daytona, 7/1/2011
Mark Martin, 51 years, 0 months, 27 days, Daytona, 2/6/2010
See young/old race/pole winners by track on my Young Old Race Pole Winners page.

Drivers who scored 20 poles in the least amount of races:
Fonty Flock 68 races
Ryan Newman 84
Fred Lorenzen 87
Dick Hutcherson 91
Herb Thomas 104
Tim Flock 120
Rex White 135
Fireball Roberts 138
Buck Baker 157
Bobby Isaac 162
Jeff Gordon 171
David Pearson 180
Alan Kulwicki 180
Geoffrey Bodine 181
Bill Elliott 191

Foreign born drivers to win a Sprint Cup Series pole: only three drivers
1) Lloyd Shaw; Toronto, Canada; Langhorne, PA, June 1953, finished 23rd [only Cup start]
2) Patrick Carpentier; Ville LaSalle, Quebec, Canada; New Hampshire, June 2008, finished 31st
3) Juan Pablo Montoya; Bogota, Colombia; Talladega, April 2009, finished 20th
Juan Pablo Montoya (2); Bogota, Colombia; New Hampshire, Sept. 2009, finished 3rd
Juan Pablo Montoya (3); Bogota, Colombia; New Hampshire, June 2010, finished 34th
Juan Pablo Montoya (4); Bogota, Colombia; Indianapolis, July 2010, finished 32nd
Juan Pablo Montoya (5); Bogota, Colombia; Talladega, October 2010, finished 3rd
Juan Pablo Montoya (6); Bogota, Colombia; Auto Club, March 2011, finished 10th
Juan Pablo Montoya (7); Bogota, Colombia; Richmond, April 2011, finished 8th

Most poles with NO wins:
Ken Schrader, 23 poles, 0 wins
Neil Bonnett, 20, 0
Dick Rathmann, 13, 0
*Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 10, 0
* Greg Biffle, 9, 0
Jeremy Mayfield, 9, 0
Elliott Sadler, 8, 0
*Jamie McMurray, 8, 0
(* = active)(11-4-2011)

Most wins from the pole:
Richard Petty 61
David Pearson 37
Darrell Waltrip 24
Bobby Isaac 21 (1 included, no qualfying held) Bobby Allison 20
Jeff Gordon 19
Herb Thomas 19
Bill Elliott 17 (1)
Tim Flock 17
Cale Yarborough 16 (1)
Buck Baker 13
Junior Johnson 12 (1)
Ned Jarrett 11
Fred Lorenzen 11
Jimmie Johnson 10 (1)
(9-17-2011)

Most poles with few wins:
Ryan Newman, who has 49 poles [since his last pole at New Hampshire in Sept 2011], has only won 4 races from the pole [8.16%]. Newman had gone winless in 35 straight races that he has started from the pole [the all-time record] until he won at New Hampshire in July 2011. Newman has 4 wins from the pole. Ryan Newman only went 0 for 3 before scoring his first win from the pole. He was hot for awhile, winning 3 times in his first 12 poles, then the 35 race streak took over until ending at NHMS.
Geoff Bodine, who had 37 poles in his career, lost 27 consecutive races when starting from the pole from his career start in 1982 until he won at Martinsville in 1990. He would end up winning win from the pole three times.
Ricky Rudd went 0 for 26 to begin his career and only had one win from the pole position before finishing his career with 29 poles.
Alan Kulwicki only had 1 win from winning 24 poles.(9-23-2011)

Some pole streaks at different tracks:
Ryan Newman won 6 straight poles at Atlanta Motor Speedway thru Oct 2005
David Pearson won 11 straight poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway [a record], all while driving for the [#21] Wood Brothers from 1973 through 1978

First career poles, two in a row:
Casey Mears won his first career pole at Pocono on July 31, 2004 and won the pole for the next race at Pocono, August 7, 2004
Billy Wade was another driver who also accomplished the feat, winning poles at Old Bridge, NJ and Bridgehampton, NY - July 1964

Three Consecutive Poles (since 1996):
2011: #22-Kurt Busch - Kansas (June), Pocono (June), Michigan (June).
2009: #83-Brian Vickers - Michigan (June), Sonoma (June), Chicago (July).
  (Note: Two qualifying sessions, New Hampshire, Daytona, were canceled during Vickers streak).
2007: #12-Ryan Newman - Charlotte (May), Dover (June), Pocono (June)
2004: #24-Jeff Gordon - New Hampshire (June), Sonoma (June), Daytona (July).
2003: #12-Ryan Newman - Atlanta (Oct), Phoenix (Nov) Rockingham (Nov).
1996: #24-Jeff Gordon - Charlotte (May), Dover (June), Pocono (June)
(6-18-2011)

Elliott four in a row in 1985? aa few coflicting things about whether Bill Elliott has four stright poles in 1985. NASCAR Reports, TV Coverage and most colums state: This is the first time a driver has won four consecutive poles since Bill Elliott did it in July-August 1985. Elliott won five poles in a six-race stretch that year. The one race he didn't win the pole, he started on it as the points leader after qualifying was rained out. Only Cale Yarborough (1980) and Bobby Allison (1972) have won five consecutive poles [modern era].
HOWEVER...been asked, if you look at NASCAR.com July Pocono race results from 1985, it shows Bill Elliott starting 2nd and Darrell Waltrip starting 1st, and Pocono Results from racing-reference.com show the same thing, BUT if you above, it says: Pole Speed: 151.973 mph (Pole won by Bill Elliott). So....huh? So I went thru the following books I have: NASCAR Encyclopedia, Stock Car Racing Encyclopedia, 1986 UMI NASCAR Press Guide [stats from 1985], 1985 UMI NASCAR Yearbook and Greg Fielden's 40 Years of Stock Car Racing: Vol 4 with the following results:
NASCAR Encyclopedia has on page 977, the 1985 races, pole winners:
Race#, Track, Driver, Speed
1448, Pocono, Elliott, 152.563
1449, Michigan, no qualifying, Elliott was points leader started first
1450, Daytona, Elliott, 201.523
1451, Pocono, Darrell Waltrip, 151.973 [same as Elliott's above]
1452, Talladega, Elliott, 207.578
1453, Michigan, Elliott, 165.479
and if you count the number of poles for Elliott on that list is has 10, where all records show 11.
Stock Car Racing Encyclopedia has the same EXCEPT, it has Bill Elliott in race 1451-Pocono, same speed.
The 1985 UMI NASCAR Yearbook simply has DW 1st and Elliott 2nd
1986 UMI NASCAR Press Guide has Elliott starting 2nd and DW 1st BUT in the notes lists Elliott as the Bud Pole winner with a speed of 151.973.
OK So why the confusion? finally I got to Greg Fielden's 40 Years of Stock Car Racing: Vol 4, once again, it shows DW 1st and Elliott starting 2nd BUT with Elliott on the pole with a speed of 151.937mph BUT with an asterick (*), so at the bottom, there is this note: "Darrell Waltrip started on the pole after posting a 152.552 lap. 18 days later NASCAR Disallowed the pole time due to illegal fuel additives." So Elliott now gets credit for the pole. So didn't really start from the pole, but was awarded it later, he did start 5 of 6 races from the pole and officially would be 6. Whew...that was a lot of work....(7-10-2004)

Kahne Sets Mark: #9-Kasey Kahne set another mark in winning the Bud Pole for the 2004 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway. Kahne scored his second Bud pole in just five career starts and became just one of five drivers in NASCAR history to do so. No driver has won more than two. He joins the following drivers:
Martin, Mark (2) - 7/11/81 Nashville International Raceway; 9/13/81 Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway
Hutcherson, Dick (2) - 3/28/64 Greenville-Pickens Speedway; 4/14/64 Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds
Burdick, Bob (2) - 5/17/59 Trenton Speedway; 6/18/59 Columbia Speedway
Kieper, John (2) - 5/27/56 Portland Speedway; 5/30/56 Eureka Speedway
Kahne, Kasey (2) - 3/5/04 Las Vegas; 3/19/04 Darlington (NASCAR Statistics)(3-20-2004)

Park's Poles Rare: something I wondered about when #30-Steve Park got the pole late in qualifying at Daytona for the Pepsi 400. When was the last time a driver won a pole in the same season for two different teams? Park won the pole at California Speedway while driving the #1 Pennzoil Chevy and won the pole for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in the #30 AOL Chevy this year. So did a little research and the nearest I found was in 1993 when Jayski Fave Ernie Irvan won four poles that season, two with the #4 Kodak team and two with the #28 Texaco team [took over after Davey Allison was killed].(7-4-2003)