Notebook: Yates denies rumors of sale to Roush

RICHMOND, Va. -- Robert Yates denied a report that Jack Roush is buying part or all of Robert Yates Racing. The two NASCAR Nextel Cup car owners are partnering with Ford on an engine-building company, but Yates said that's as far as it will go.

"As far as me selling the team, Bill Gates is probably the only guy I'd be interested in sitting down and talking to," Yates said. "Yates and Gates sounds better than Roush and Yates, doesn't it?"

CHEVY 400 Brian Vickers celebrates his first career Bud Pole Play video Junior is pleased with his fourth-place effort Play video  •  Lineup

Joking aside, "I like what we're doing with the engine thing. But I have no plans to do anything on the car side of it.

"Jack owns enough teams, in my opinion. I own one more than can fit in Victory Lane. I'm pretty happy where I'm positioned now."

Yates owns the cars of Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler, while Roush owns the cars of Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Mark Martin. The two powerhouse owners formed a new company before the season to build engines together.

Yates, though, said that was Ford's doing.

"They just don't have their name on the building yet," Yates said. "They're getting their name on the check pretty soon. They're getting their name on the letterhead. It's really a Ford deal. It's not a Roush/Yates thing or Yates/Roush thing."

NASCAR approved a new cylinder head for Ford this season, but it hasn't been used yet. Yates said testing has been fruitful and the new engine package should run in next weekend's Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"The engine ran good at Kentucky," Yates said. "We'd like to have 2,000 miles on it. We've had two or three of the engines that first tested at Vegas that weren't something we wanted to have. There's still some issues. We've finally got it to where, 'I like this.' This is going to give us less of a handicap than what we are to do. It's going to be a must-have in the next two weeks.

"Our 12-year-old engine is about worn out. Hopefully, we'll see it in The Winston next week with a new, modern take."

Vickers the youngest pole winner in modern era

Brian Vickers became the youngest pole winner in modern-era NASCAR history Friday by qualifying first for Saturday's Chevy American Revolution 400. Vickers is 20, a year younger than when 21-year-old Casey Atwood won the pole at Phoenix in 2001.

	Brian Vickers made an historic run Friday at Richmond. Credit: Autostock

Vickers also matched the all-time NASCAR record. Donald Thomas was 20 when he won the pole at Lakewood Speedway in Georgia on Nov. 16, 1952. Thomas also went on to win the race on the Lakewood dirt track to become NASCAR's youngest winner.

Bobby Hillin holds the modern-era mark. He was 22 when he won at Talladega in July 1986.

Can Vickers duplicate Thomas' achievement?

"It definitely helps the confidence of myself and entire GMAC Chevy team," Vickers said of winning the pole. "It never hurts to be on poles and run good. We are looking forward to the race. Our goal is to win a race. We definitely want to try and do that, and this can't do anything but help."

Earnhardt Jr. left some on the table

Obviously, Vickers will have to battle several drivers for the victory, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., a former Richmond winner who qualified fourth. Earnhardt said he could've gone faster on his qualifying lap but tip-toed on the slick surface.

	Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not expecting an exciting race Saturday at Richmond. Credit: Autostock

"I was just trying to be real cautious with the track being as slick as it is," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The car was a little bit tight in the middle of each corner, and that's kind of how it was in practice."

The No. 8 Chevrolet was 14th fastest in Happy Hour. Earnhardt Jr. doesn't expect an exciting race Saturday night.

"Well, the new pavement is going to make us all run on the bottom," Earnhardt Jr. said. "That's just the way it is. Everybody is going to run where the grip is and that'll be on the bottom. The older asphalt is better for two and three-wide racing. This track will be there eventually, but it's going to take some time."

Triple duty for Gordon

The busy part of Robby Gordon's month starts Friday, when he leaves after the Funai 250 Busch Series race for Speedway, Ind., where he will try to qualify Saturday for the Indy 500.

	Robby Gordon is doing a "triple" this weekend. Credit: Autostock

Gordon hopes to go out early at the Brickyard and post a fast speed, and then return to Richmond for the Nextel Cup race Saturday night.

"The biggest thing is that our performances have been so good lately on and off the track with the Busch car the Cup car and the Indy car," Gordon said. "If we can qualify the Indy car somewhere in between where the Busch car is and the front, I'd be really happy with that tomorrow as well."

Gordon qualified his own Busch car in 10th, while his Cup car was sixth. By the way, his top speed at Indy this has been 15th fastest among the drivers practicing there.

Wallace wanted more, too

Rusty Wallace has been a terror on short tracks this season, winning at Martinsville and finishing second at Bristol. He qualified seventh at Richmond on Friday, but like Earnhardt Jr., took it easy on his lap.

	Rusty Wallace will start seventh on Saturday night. Credit: Autostock

"I was worried about everybody being so loose, and I drove it too easy," Wallace said. "I shouldn't have drove it that easy. I think we could have got the pole based on what's going on. I should have got it in deeper. I was waiting for it to go all over the place, and it didn't do it. I didn't hustle it enough.

"We'll get ready to race now. We had a good test here a couple of weeks ago, so I feel good about it. I wanted to get a good, smooth lap in for qualifying and that's what I did. I didn't anticipate it to be that good and it was. I should have charged it harder, and I could have at least picked it up a couple of tenths."

Are Rudd, Harvick friends?

Kevin Harvick and Ricky Rudd got into a war of words after last fall's race, but the two haven't exactly put it behind them.

Asked if Harvick had apologized, Rudd said, "That incident was over and done with a year ago. Have we spoken? We aren't the best of friends, but when we pass each other we say hello."