* Ryan Newman won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole for the Golden Corral 500, lapping Atlanta Motor Speedway in 28.640 seconds at 193.575 mph. Geoffrey Bodine holds the track-qualifying record of 28.074 seconds, 197.478 mph, set Nov. 15, 1997. * This is Newman’s 20th career Bud Pole in 84 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races. His most recent Bud Pole came at Rockingham two races ago. It is his third straight top-five start this season. * It is Newman’s third consecutive Bud Pole at Atlanta. He has started sixth or better in all five of his Atlanta races. This is the first time that a driver has won three straight Bud Poles on a superspeedway since Kyle Petty won four straight at Rockingham (1991-1992). * Brian Vickers had the second-fastest time with a qualifying lap of 28.780 seconds at 192.634 mph and will join Newman on the front row. It is his career-best start. It is his second start and second top-five at Atlanta. * This is third Bud Pole for Dodge in 2004. Ford has the other Bud Pole this season. * Jimmie Johnson (third) posted his second top-10 start in 2004 and his third in six races at Atlanta. * Jeff Gordon (fourth) posted his second top-10 start in 2004. It is his 12th top-10 start in 24 races at Atlanta but only his second in the past six races here. * Elliott Sadler (fifth) posted his second top-10 start in 2004 and his third in 11 races at Atlanta, all in the past three races here. * Johnny Sauter, Joe Ruttman and Andy Belmont used provisionals while Kirk Shelmerdine and Andy Hillenburg completed the 43-car field based on attempts. One driver failed to qualify for the Golden Corral 500: Morgan Shepherd. * This will be Belmont’s 11th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, his first since Darlington in September 1992. * No driver has posted a top-10 start in every race this season. * Bodine’s qualifying speed of 197.478 mph remains the fastest qualifying lap on a non-restrictor-plate track in the history of NASCAR. * There have been 10 different Bud Pole winners in the 14 races at Atlanta since the track size changed in the fall of 1997. Only Dale Jarrett (March 2000 and 2001) and Ryan Newman (both races in 2003 and spring 2004) have scored multiple Bud Poles on the new configuration. Qualifying was canceled due to weather in October 2002. * Thirteen races at Atlanta have been won from the Bud Pole. Nine drivers have won from the second-place starting position giving 25 percent of the victories posted there to the front-row starting spots. Fifty-one victories have come from the top five. * The last spring race that was won at Atlanta by the Bud Pole sitter dates back to 1979 (Buddy Baker). The last time a race was won by the Bud pole winner at Atlanta was in November 1996 (Bobby Labonte). The best finish by a Bud Pole winner on the new track size was second by Jerry Nadeau in November 2000.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(3-13-2004)
