Ricky Rudd gave the Wood Brothers team its first pole in 20 years, taking the top spot in qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
To get it done, Rudd had to beat the intimidating DEI tandem of Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr Friday. They have won 10 of the last 13 races at Talladega and Daytona, the tracks where NASCAR slows the cars with carburetor restrictor plates.
Rudd, in his second season driving for one of NASCAR's oldest teams, turned a fast lap of 307.6kph in his Ford. Then he then sat and waited for the Chevrolets of Waltrip and Earnhardt -- both among the fastest in practice -- to take their shots.
Each came up short. Waltrip, who won here last fall, starts second today in the Aaron's 499. Earnhardt qualified third.
Waltrip, just two spots below Rudd in the 46-car qualifying line, had a lap of 307.3kph. Earnhardt, one of the last drivers in line, hit 306.3kph.
"We did watch pretty hard in the transporter after our run," Rudd said. "Of course, Earnhardt was our biggest concern, but we dodged that bullet."
Neither of the DEI drivers appeared very disappointed to come up short.
"It's anybody's game in qualifying and, like Michael, I'm just glad to have a good starting spot for Sunday," said Earnhardt, who won four straight races here before Waltrip broke his string last fall.
"My goal is to finish 1-2, whether it's me out front or Junior," Waltrip said. "Of course, I'd rather be in front."
The pole was Rudd's 29th and first since June 2002 on the road course in Sonoma, California. The last pole for the Wood Brothers, by Buddy Baker, came 630 races ago, on March 18, 1984 in Atlanta. Rudd was surprised it had been so long since the Wood Brothers won the most recent of their previous 118 poles.
"When I started racing, that team won a lot of poles," Rudd said. "I think it was automatic at Charlotte with David Pearson. I'm just glad to be a part of it."
With constant passing and numerous lead changes a hallmark of Talladega racing in the restrictor-plate era, Rudd acknowledged starting from the pole probably won't make much difference once the green flag flies.
Still, he was still thrilled with his first pole here in 55 tries and to have something positive happen for a team that has struggled in 2004 and is 30th in points.
Jeff Gordon, like Earnhardt a six-time plate-race winner, will start 11th. Rusty Wallace, who broke a 105-race winless string last Sunday in Martinsville, Virginia, will start 32nd.
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