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Sharpie 500 - Bristol Motor Speedway
Junior Stomps Twice at Bristol
Gordon Roars to Pole at Bristol
Exactly five years to the date of his late father’s last Bristol victory, Dale Earnhardt Jr. visited victory lane at Bristol Motor Speedway. Much like he did the night before in the Busch series race, Earnhardt dominated the event, leading the Sharpie 500 six times for a race-high total of 295 laps, including the final 84. Earnhardt enjoyed his first “Bristol Stomp” on Friday night so much that he had to do it again on Saturday evening, the third time in his career that he has swept the Busch and Cup races in the same weekend and the first time on a short track. Earnhardt outdistanced the second place car by 4.390 seconds to capture his 13th career win in the Nextel Cup series, his first at Bristol, and his fourth of the season. Ryan Newman finished behind Earnhardt in the second position, his best effort since he won at Michigan in June. Jimmie Johnson ended his streak of DNFs at three by coming home in the third position. In only his second race behind the wheel of the No. 30 car, Jeff Burton gave the team its first top-five finish of the season with a fourth-place effort. Elliott Sadler brought his Ford home in the fifth position, his sixth top-five finish of the season.
Jeff Gordon won the pole position for the Sharpie 500, lapping Bristol Motor Speedway in 14.930 seconds, at an average speed of 128.520 mph. This is Gordon’s 52nd career Bud Pole in 389 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races. He moved into seventh on the all-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole List - breaking a tie with Bobby Isaac. It is also Gordon’s fourth Bud Pole in 24 races at Bristol and his third straight in the night race. He has started on the front-row in the last six races at Bristol. Rookie Kasey Kahne will join Gordon on the front row, qualifying with the second fastest speed. Tennessee native Sterling Marlin will start his Dodge from the third position, while Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray round out the top five.
