Jeff Gordon to Start on the Pole at Sunday's Auto Club 500

Jeff Gordon turned in a fastest lap of 38.765 seconds (185.735 mph) at California Speedway today, earning the pole for Sunday's Auto Club 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

Gordon is a three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner at California Speedway. He enjoyed immediate success by winning the inaugural Cup Series race at the Speedway in June 1997. He went on to capture the checkered flag in 1999 and 2004, as well.

The driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet will lead the pack, with Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top five.

The weekend marks the West Coast Premiere of NASCAR at California Speedway, featuring a triple-header weekend: the San Bernardino County 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race (Friday night), the Stater Bros. 300 NASCAR Busch Series race (Saturday) and the Auto Club 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race (Sunday).

Tickets are still available, including the Auto Club 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at California Speedway on Sunday. Please stop by the California Speedway ticket office, call 1-800-944-7223 or visit www.racetickets.com for your tickets.

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