TBO.com - Live in the moment

AUTO RACING

Gordon Storms To 6th Pole Of Cup Season At Michigan

The Associated Press

Published: Aug 18, 2007

BROOKLYN, MICH. - Qualifying has provided Jeff Gordon with some real surprises this season.

The four-time NASCAR champion had another one Friday, winning his series-leading sixth pole of 2007 after having to wait for all the rest of the cars entered in the 3M Performance 400 to make their qualifying runs.

"Wow! Wow!" Gordon said into his radio after crew chief Steve Letarte, back at the track after a six-race suspension, told him he had just won another pole.

"We were decent in practice, but we didn't get the best lap," Gordon said. "But, obviously, we communicated well on the adjustments we needed. It just didn't feel like a pole-winning lap.

"Obviously, I've got to thank this team and welcome back Steve Letarte. Man, that's awesome. We've got good chemistry and I think that late draw really, really played out for us."

Greg Biffle, who went out just ahead of Gordon in the 48-car qualifying line, posted a lap of 188.684 mph, knocking Kasey Kahne (188.516) off the top spot. Gordon then went out and raised the top speed to 189.026.

Asked if having Letarte back made the difference, Gordon said, "I think that Steve just brings a little something special. He's the guy who's gotten us into the situation, leading the points, winning four races and qualified for the Chase."

Bobby Labonte, working with new crew chief Doug Rudolph, was a solid fourth at 188.132, followed by Elliott Sadler at 188.024, Kyle Busch at 187.882 and reigning Cup champion Johnson at 187.877.

Rounding out the top 10 were Denny Hamlin at 187.373, Clint Bowyer at 187.344 and Mark Martin at 187.246.

Among the other big names, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 40th at 184.398, while Tony Stewart, winner of three of the last four Cup events, was 35th.

Michael Waltrip, making a Cup race for only the sixth time in 23 tries this season, was a surprising 11th at 187.042. He was followed by Zephyrhills native David Reutimann at 186.848. Dale Jarrett, the third Michael Waltrip Racing driver, failed to qualify for Sunday's 43-car field.

NASCAR Modified Driver Dies After Accident

HARTFORD, Conn. - A 33-year-old race car driver died in a crash involving his brother and several cars at the Thompson Motor Speedway.

John Blewett III of Howell, N.J., died Thursday night after he and Jimmy Blewett hit a wall in the 107th lap of the 150-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event in Thompson.

John Blewett's car ended up on top of his brother's car, said Woody Pitkat, who was behind the crash.

"Jimmy got out of his car. He was yelling and screaming. He was just a wreck," Pitkat said in a telephone interview Friday. "He was yelling at people to get [John] out of the car."

John Blewett, who suffered head and neck injuries, was extricated from the car and taken to Hubbard Regional Hospital in Webster, Mass., where he was pronounced dead, state police said.

It's being investigated as an untimely death, a state police spokesman said.

A NASCAR spokesman said the Blewett brothers were veteran drivers. Pitkat estimated the speed of the cars at more than 100 mph at the time of the crash.

NHRA: Funny Car driver Del Worsham began his bid for the eighth and final spot in the Countdown to the Championship, leading the field in qualifying for the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

Worsham's 4.800-second pass at 323.97 mph placed him alongside fellow low qualifiers "Hot Rod" Fuller (4.521 in Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (6.685, Pro Stock), and Angelle Sampey (6.987, Pro Stock Motorcycle) at the midway point of qualifying.

In Funny Car, Ashley Force was sixth with a best of 4.870 306.67 mph, while her father, John Force, was 10th with a 4.902 at 305.91 mph.

Top Fuel points leader Fuller looked sharp in both Friday rounds. He started the day with a 4.606 at 314.68 mph, which led the first session, and then had his 4.521 at 327.19 mph under the lights.