Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon to start up front at Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE – Ryan Newman edged Jeff Gordon in qualifying for Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500, turning a lap of 96.795 mph Friday afternoon to secure the pole position as the second half of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup gets under way.

“It’s the place to be, no doubt, and it’s the place to finish,” said Newman, who is eighth in the championship points standings through the first five Chase races. “Obviously that’s what we want.”

Three-time defending Sprint Cup champion and points leader Jimmie Johnson, winner of five of the last six races at Martinsville, qualified 15th on a day when early morning rain pushed back the schedule at NASCAR’s shortest track.

“It’ll hurt us on pit road for sure,” Johnson said, “but I really think that the way the car’s going to be and how well I can work traffic here, that it shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”

The pole is Newman’s second of the season and 45th of his career, tying him with Buck Baker for 11th on NASCAR’s all-time pole winner’s list.

Gordon finished second with a fast lap of 96.519 mph, clinching his 22nd top-10 start of 2009 and his 25th in 34 races at Martinsville Speedway. He will start alongside Newman’s U.S. Army Chevrolet on Row 1 on Sunday.

Martin Truex Jr. placed third, followed by Mark Martin, David Reutimann and Casey Mears. Joey Logano, who finished seventh, was the fastest qualifying rookie. Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson and Kevin Harvick round out the top 10.

Only four of the 12 Chase drivers qualified ahead of Johnson.

“Any time that we can put a gap in between us, as well as the pit selection, then that’s a step in the right direction for us,” Gordon said about Johnson starting 15th. “We’re going to take anything good that comes our way and try to take advantage of it.”