Aug 19, 2006 4 min read

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) – Jeff Burton won another pole Friday, spoiling Elliott Sadler’s debut in the Evernham Motorsports No. 19 Dodge. Sadler, who left Robert Yates Racing to replace fired Jeremy Mayfield in the Evernham ride, was the 41st of 47 NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers who made qualifying runs on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway oval.

The crowd cheered lustily as Sadler’s 187.071 mph lap knocked the 186.804 of Matt Kenseth off the top spot in qualifying for Sunday’s GFS Marketplace 400. But Burton, the 45th driver in the line, easily pushed Sadler to the outside of the front row with a lap of 187.936.

“We’re real excited about that,” Burton said. “I’m proud of that effort because we actually ran better in race trim than in qualifying trim in practice. The team made a bunch of changes after that, and they worked. The car really stuck.”

It was the fourth pole of the season and the sixth of his career for the resurgent Burton, who enters Sunday’s race a solid fourth in the season standings. His first career pole came here in August 1996.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on,” said a grinning Burton, whose last pole before this year came at Richmond in September 2000. “During the qualifying run, I came into turn four and thought, “Man, that’s a good lap.’ The cars just run so good.

“On the other hand, we’ve got to step our race program up a little bit. The last three races we haven’t run as good as we want to. We’re hoping we can do that Sunday.”

Sadler, who had been with the Yates team since 2003, had to qualify on speed since the No. 19 car has fallen to 36th in car-owner points. Only the top 35 are guaranteed starting spots.

It was no problem, though.

Sadler was second fastest in Friday’s practice. He had no problem qualifying, but he was concerned.

“That’s as nervous I’ve been since my rookie year at the Daytona 500 because of having to get the car in on (speed) and wanting to go fast but knowing where the line is as far as making a good solid lap to get in,” Sadler said. “For us, working together the first week, that’s pretty strong out of the box.”

Sadler said he was thinking top 15 before getting on the track Friday.

“That was a realistic goal,” he said. “But, after the first lap on the track and we went right to the top of the (speed) chart, of course, your goals change a little bit. But my main goal as the driver of the 19 right now is to make every race and get us back in the top 35 in points.

“I drove the car a little conservative but good enough to give us a great lap. I didn’t want to overdo it and put the thing in the fence my first time out.”

Ryan Newman was fourth at 186.800, followed by Kevin Harvick, Burton’s teammate, at 186.509, Greg Biffle at 186.403, Casey Mears at 186.027, points leader Jimmie Johnson at 185.970, rookie Denny Hamlin at 185.720 and Sterling Marlin at 185.696.

With only four races remaining before the start of NASCAR’s 10-race, 10-man Chase for the championship, defending champion Tony Stewart, Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., defending Michigan race winner Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Biffle all are battling for spots in the bottom half of the top 10.

Right now, Stewart, Hamlin, Gordon and Earnhardt are in, and Kahne, Busch and Biffle are out.

Gordon will start Sunday’s race 12th, with Kahne 15th, Busch 16th, Earnhardt 17th and Stewart 33rd.

“We ran good here the last time that we were here,” said four-time Cup champion Gordon. “But, at the same time, Junior ran good here, Kasey Kahne ran good here as well. So, now, it’s just about doing our jobs and fighting for every position and for every lap until the checkered flag waves.”