NASCAR

• Gordon garners Goody's pole

  
  

  Martinsville, VA (Sports Network) - Seven-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon captured the pole for Sunday afternoon's Goody's Cool Orange 500 at the famed Martinsville Speedway. The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver circled the 0.526-mile short track in 19.666 seconds (96.288 m.p.h.).

  The pole victory was Gordon's second of the season, seventh at Martinsville and 65th of his Sprint Cup career. He is just five pole wins behind Cale Yarborough for third all-time.

  "That was two of the best corners I've probably ever put together all at one time," said Gordon. "You have got to be aggressive, but yet you can't over do it...that's a fine line...you are right on the edge of it at all times."

  Starting alongside Gordon will be Denny Hamlin who posted a time of 19.775 seconds.

  Row two will consist of youngster Aric Almirola (19.780) and David Ragan (19.814).

  Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Kasey Kahne (sixth), points leader Kyle Busch (eighth), Tony Stewart (ninth), defending Goody's Cool Orange 500 winner Jimmie Johnson (10th), Kevin Harvick (11th), Clint Bowyer (12th) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (22nd).

  It will be the second consecutive short track race for the Sprint Cup Series and a great place for floundering Hendrick Motorsports, the dominant force in 2007, to get back to its former level.

  Last year's Goody's Cool Orange 500 was an all-Hendrick affair with Johnson edging teammate Gordon for the win. Former HMS driver Busch finished fourth. In the October event, Johnson won again, beating Ryan Newman, Gordon and Busch to the checkered flag.

  But 2008 has been a completely different start for HMS with Johnson and Gordon struggling out of the gate. After five races in 2007, Gordon held a 28-point lead in the championship with Johnson in third place. This year, Johnson is 13th in the standings and the 2007 Sprint Cup champion has just one top-five in the first five events. Gordon is 14th overall with two top-fives, but two DNFs (did not finish), more than he had in 36 events in last year.

  However, at Martinsville Hendrick Motorsports has won four of the last five events. Heading into this week, Gordon has a stunning record there with six poles, seven wins and 24 top-10s in 30 starts. Johnson is just as good, if not better with one pole, four wins and 11 top-10s in 12 starts.

  The first five races of 2008 has shown balance among the manufacturers. All four automakers have visited Victory Lane. Dodge took the big one - Daytona behind Ryan Newman, Ford has the two wins from Edwards, Burton won in a Chevrolet and Toyota won for the first time ever - in Atlanta with Busch.

  The race is scheduled to drop the green flag on Sunday at 2 p.m. (et).

  03/28 16:59:55 ET