TALLADEGA, Ala. — Jeff Gordon put himself in select company. So did Rick Hendrick.
Gordon won his 70th career pole Saturday and led a Hendrick Motorsports sweep of the top four spots at Talladega Superspeedway — only the third team in NASCAR history to monopolize the first two rows for a Cup race.
Gordon turned a two-lap qualifying average of 178.248 mph for today’s Aaron’s 499. He broke a tie for third place on the career list with Cale Yarborough and trails only Richard Petty (123) and David Pearson (113).
As for Hendrick, he joined Pete DePaolo (Charlotte, 1956) and Jack Roush (California, 2005) as the only car owners to have the four fastest cars in qualifying for a top-division race. Jimmie Johnson claimed the outside of the front row with a speed of 177.844, with Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking the second row.
Busch Nationwide winner.
Kyle Busch won under a yellow flag in a wild finish, taking the Nationwide race at Talladega when a crash sent Mike Wallace’s car flipping upside down.
Force nears another record
CONCORD, N.C. — John Force closed in on the one major NHRA record that he doesn’t hold, taking his 136th career No. 1 qualifier in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
Force is just two shy of pro stock star Warren Johnson’s record of 138.
Power is on the pole
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Will Power earned the pole for today’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, his third straight to open the IndyCar season.
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP Aaron’s 499 Site: Talladega, Ala.
TV: KDVR-31, 11 a.m.
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (oval, 2.66 miles)
Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps
Next race: Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400, April 30, Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.
Online:
INDYCAR Grand Prix of Long Beach Site: Long Beach, Calif.
TV: Versus, 1:30 p.m.
Track: Streets of Long Beach (street course, 1.97 miles)
Race distance: 167.2 miles, 85 laps
Next race: São Paulo Indy 300, May 1, Streets of São Paulo
Online:
FORMULA ONE Chinese Grand Prix
Site: Shanghai
TV: Speed, 1 a.m.
Track: Shanghai Inter- national Circuit (road course, 3.39 miles)
Race distance: 189.7 miles, 56 laps
Next race: Turkish Grand Prix, May 8, Istanbul Speed Park, Istanbul
Online:
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Site: Concord, N.C.
TV: ESPN2, 5 p.m. (tape)
Track: zMAX Dragway
Next race: O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals, April 29-May 1, Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas
Online:
