David Gilliland won the Nextel Cup Series Bud Pole for the UAW-Ford 500, lapping Talladega Superspeedway in 49.950 seconds at 191.712 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 44.998 seconds, 212.809 mph, set April 30, 1987 prior to the advent of restrictor-plate racing. Elliott also holds the Talladega restrictor-plate record of 48.128 seconds, 199.388 mph, set May 4, 1990.
This is Gillilands first career Bud Pole in just nine Nextel Cup Series races, making him the ninth-quickest Bud Pole winner (with reference to number of races) since 1972. He became the first first-time Bud Pole winner this season, extending the streak of seasons with at least one first-time Bud Pole winner to 20 (1987-2006)
Gilliland became the 14th different Bud Pole winner in 2006.
This is Gillilands first start better than 15th in his short career.
Gilliland is competing in his career-first NASCAR restrictor-plate race.
Gilliland became the 31st different Bud Pole winner at Talladega Superspeedway and the eighth in the past 11 races.
Dale Jarrett posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 50.001 seconds, 191.516 mph and will join Gilliland on the front row for the UAW-Ford 500. He and Gilliland were the only drivers to break the 191-mph mark. Jarrett has posted 18 top-10 starts in 40 races at Talladega. His best qualifying effort has been second, which he has done three times.
The last 1-2 qualifying for Robert Yates Racing was in this race last season when Elliott Sadler started first in the #38 and Jarrett also started second in the #88. This is the third consecutive Bud Pole at Talladega for the #38 team.
This is the fifth Bud Pole for Ford in 2006 including three of the four restrictor-plate races. Dodge has 13 Bud Poles and Chevrolet has 11. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
Jimmie Johnson (third) has posted eight top-10 starts in 10 races at Talladega. He started on the Bud Pole in his career-first start here in April 2002 and started first again in October of that year when qualifying was canceled.
Jeff Gordon (fourth) has started from the top-10 in 15 of his 28 Talladega races.
Greg Biffle (fifth) has posted three top-10 starts in eight races at Talladega all in the past three races here. He has 20 top-10 starts this season one shy of Series leader Kurt Busch, who qualified 29th today.
Only two of the 10 Chase drivers qualified in the top 10: Johnson and Gordon.
Kyle Petty (18th) was the fastest of the drivers required to qualify on time.(NASCAR Statistical Sevices)(10-7-2006)
