Jimmie Johnson scores Bud Pole at Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. -- Rookie Jimmie Johnson captured the Bud Pole Award for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Friday.

Johnson paced the .75-mile oval at 126.145 mph for his fourth Bud Pole of the season, tying him with Bill Elliott for the season lead.

He bested fellow rookie Ryan Newman, who had a lap of 125.737 mph.

Dave Blaney had the same speed as Newman, but because Newman was higher in points, he will start outside of Johnson to make up an all-rookie front row Saturday night, the first time in Winston Cup's modern era that two rookies will occupy the front row.

The last rookie to sit on the pole at Richmond was Bobby Labonte, in 1993.

"That was a great lap," said Johnson, who was fourth fastest during the morning practice. "I think it's pretty neat we have an all-rookie front row. So, hopefully we'll scare everybody behind us and they'll let us go for the first few laps and get it sorted out.

"Our Fridays have been real tough on us at the Lowe's team. From crashing during practices and qualifying poorly; we've had a hard day on Fridays. But, we've always been able to rally back on Sundays and have a great finish.

"I'm excited to turn our qualifying program around and get a pole here."

It will be Newman's third front-row season this season. After brushing the wall during practice, the No. 12 Ford team fixed the right-rear quarter panel to avoid using a backup car.

"I got in the wall there during practice and that slowed us up," Newman said. "We had do some repairs on the car, but I don't think that slowed us up in qualifying at all. To make my second Winston Cup start at this track and be starting outside the first row is pretty good.

Blaney wasn't as lucky when he hit the wall just two laps into practice. The Jasper Motorsports team had to roll out the backup car and ready it to continue practicing and then for qualifying.

"We brought a short track car that we had run one time before at New Hampshire and qualified fifth with," Blaney said. "So we thought we had a real good car coming here and I crash it.

"We dragged another one out of the trailer we didn't really have much experience with and ended up qualifying well.

Blaney was the last of 44 drivers to make a qualifying attempt.

Rounding out the top 10 starters were Mark Martin, Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd, Todd Bodine, Mike Skinner, Johnny Benson and Jeff Gordon.

Points leader Sterling Marlin will start 32nd, while Tony Stewart will start 14th.

Provisionals were taken by Greg Biffle -- filling in for the injured Bobby Hamilton -- Steve Park, Mike Wallace, Brett Bodine, Geoffrey Bodine, Tim Sauter and Hermie Sadler.

Carl Long was the only driver who failed to qualify for Saturday night's race.