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NASCAR: Jeff Gordon on the Pole for California 500

1 May 1998

FONTANA, CA: Jeff Gordon captured his first pole position of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup season at the California Motor Speedway this afternoon. Gordon won this race last year. He qualified with a speed of 181.772 mph in his Chevy Monte Carlo.

Jeff Gordon

Only the top 25 speeds are "locked in". Drivers who did not qualify in the top 25 can elect to stand on their current speed or make another qualifying run on Saturday.

Results from today's action follows with qualifying position, (car number), driver, hometown, car make, and qualifying speed:

1. (24) Jeff Gordon, Pittsboro, Ind., Chevrolet, 181.772.
2. (12) Jeremy Mayfield, Owensboro, Ky., Ford, 180.659.
3. (6) Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark., Ford, 180.248..
4. (2) Rusty Wallace, St. Louis, Ford, 180.230.
5. (26) Johnny Benson, Grand Rapids, Mich., Ford, 179.825.
6. (42) Joe Nemechek, Lakeland, Fla., Chevrolet, 179.686.
7. (18) Bobby Labonte, Corpus Christi, Texas, Pontiac, 179.578.
8. (22) Ward Burton, South Boston, Va., Pontiac, 179.435.
9. (5) Terry Labonte, Corpus Christi, Texas, Chevrolet, 179.412.
10. (46) Morgan Shepherd, Conover, N.C., Chevrolet, 179.381.
11. (1) Darrell Waltrip, Owensboro, Ky., Chevrolet, 179.296.
12. (94) Bill Elliott, Dawsonville, Ga., Ford, 179.256.
13. (91) Kevin LePage, Shelbourne, Vt., Chevrolet, 178.998.
14. (40) Sterling Marlin, Columbia, Tenn., Chevrolet, 178.873.
15. (33) Ken Schrader, Fenton, Mo., Chevrolet, 178.709.
16. (9) Lake Speed, Jackson, Miss., Ford, 178.700.
17. (44) Kyle Petty, Randleman, N.C., Pontiac, 178.669.
18. (28) Kenny Irwin, Indianapolis, Ford, 178.545.
19. (96) David Green, Owensboro, Ky., Chevrolet, 178.509.
20. (77) Robert Pressley, Asheboro, N.C., Ford, 178.443.
21. (99) Jeff Burton, South Boston, Va., Ford, 178.412.
22. (36) Ernie Irvan, Salinas, Calif., Pontiac, 178.408.
23. (10) Ricky Rudd, Chesapeake, Va., Ford, 178.280.
24. (16) Ted Musgrave, Franklin, Wis., Ford, 178.213.
25. (43) John Andretti, Indianapolis, Pontiac, 178.213.

Failed to Qualify

26. (8) Hut Stricklin, Calera, Ala., Ford, 178.152.
27. (71) Dave Marcis, Wausau, Wis., Chevrolet, 178.046.
28. (97) Chad Little, Spokane, Wash., Ford, 177.888.
29. (3) Dale Earnhardt, Kannapolis, N.C., Chevrolet, 177.866.
30. (81) Kenny Wallace, St. Louis, Mo., Ford, 177.747.
31. (90) Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Ford, 177.703.
32. (7) Geoff Bodine, Chemung, N.Y., Ford, 177.576.
33. (13) Jerry Nadeau, Danbury, Conn., Ford, 177.506.
34. (75) Rick Mast, Rockbridge Baths, Va., Ford, 177.454.
35. (23) Jimmy Spencer, Berwick, Pa., Ford, 177.253.
36. (41) Steve Grissom, Gadsden, Ala., Chevrolet, 176.484.
37. (78) Gary Bradberry, Chelsea, Ala., Ford, 176.410.
38. (4) Bobby Hamilton, Nashville, Tenn., Chevrolet, 175.936.
39. (50) Randy LaJoie, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 175.936.
40. (30) Derrike Cope, Spanaway, Wash., Pontiac, 175.807.
41. (21) Michael Waltrip, Owensboro, Ky., Ford, 175.387.
42. (19) Tony Raines, High Point, N.C., Ford, 174.774.
43. (31) Mike Dillon, Winston-Salem, N.C., Chevrolet, 174.558.
44. (98) Rich Bickle, Edgerton, Wis., Ford, 163.169.
45. (88) Dale Jarrett, Hickory, N.C., Ford, crash, no speed.
46. (11) Brett Bodine, Chemung, N.Y., Ford, crash, no speed.

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