Leffler wins first Busch Pole Award since 2000

FONTANA, Calif. (AP) -- Jason Leffler won his first Busch Series pole in nearly four years Friday, taking the top qualifying spot for the NASCAR Busch Series race at California Speedway.

The last time the Long Beach, Calif., native won a Busch pole was in Phoenix in November 2000, the last of three he won that year as a series rookie. The former U.S. Auto Club Midget and Silver Crown champion also won a pole in NASCAR's top series in 2001 at Kansas Speedway and led the Craftsman Truck Series in 2002 with eight poles.

VIDEO CLIPS Leffler turns in the fastest lap during NBS qualifying Play video Tony Stewart qualifies an RCR Chevy in the top 10 Play video  •  Lineup

Leffler, driving a Chevrolet, turned a lap of 182.223 mph Friday to beat out Martin Truex Jr., who was coming off a victory in last Saturday's Busch race at Talladega.

Truex, driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Chance 2 Motorsports team, will start from the outside of the front row in Saturday's California 300 after qualifying at 181.566.

Kevin Harvick was third at 181.456 and was followed by Jeremy Mayfield, Kenny Wallace, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Robby Gordon, Michael Waltrip and Ashton Lewis.

Harvick, Mayfield, Stewart, Kahne, Gordon and Waltrip, who is leading the Busch Series points, are all regulars in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series.

David Green, trailing Waltrip by 17 points in the season standings, qualified 31st. Truex is third in the standings, 27 points behind the leader.