Jeff Gordon won the Bud Pole for the Crown Royal presents The Jim Stewart 400, lapping Richmond International Raceway in 21.386 seconds at 126.251 mph. .. This is Gordon’s 61st Bud Pole 483 career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races. He remains fourth on the all-time Bud Pole winners list nine behind third place Cale Yarborough (70). .. This is Gordon’s fifth Bud Pole and eighth top-10 start in 2007. He also started first at Texas Motor Speedway when qualifying was canceled. .. This is Gordon’s fifth Bud Pole at Richmond. He has started from the top 10 in 23 of his 29 races here. .. The most recent driver to win three consecutive Bud Poles was Ryan Newman, who posted four in a row from Oct. 16, through Nov. 7, 2004. .. Carl Edwards (second) posted just his third top-10 start of the 2007 season and his best since he won the Bud Pole for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2005. .. Scott Riggs (third) has started from the top 10 in seven races this season, including each of the past three. This is his best start since he started second at Homestead in 2006. .. Dale Jarrett failed to qualify, ending a streak of 424 consecutive races that dated to North Wilkesboro on Oct. 2, 1994.(NASCAR PR)(5-4-2007)
