Nascar: Yeley breaks Newman's pole win streak

Brooklyn, MI (Sports Network) - J.J. Yeley captured the pole for Sunday's Citizens Bank 400 at the Michigan International Speedway, ending Ryan Newman's three-race pole win streak. The No.18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet driver circled the fast two-mile oval in 38.399 seconds (187.505 m.p.h.).
The pole victory was the first of Yeley's Nextel Cup career.
"This is awesome," said Yeley. "We needed this."
It was also just 0.001 seconds faster than runner-up 2006 Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Johnson was also looking for his first pole of the season, but he owns nine career poles.
"That would have been my quota for the year," said Johnson, who has nine career pole wins in six years of "Cup" racing.
Kyle Busch (38.538), the soon-to-be free agent after this week's Hendrick Motorsports signing of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Newman (38.586) will make up row two.
Series points leader Jeff Gordon will start sixth.
Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Denny Hamlin (7th), Martin Truex Jr. (8th), Jeff Burton (9th), Carl Edwards (12th), Mark Martin (15th), Earnhardt Jr. (23rd), Matt Kenseth (26th) and Tony Stewart (41st).
Michael Waltrip will race for the second time in three weeks. The improving No.55 NAPA Toyota team was 18th quickest.
"We're going to get this thing straightened out," said a smiling Waltrip.
With 14 races completed and 12 to go until the "Chase" begins, the race for the final spots in the playoffs couldn't be much closer.
Martin currently holds down the 12th and final position, but he has consistently said he will not change his part-time schedule to make the "Chase." That makes Newman the "de facto" holder of the final spot.
Newman has been on a roll of late, winning three consecutive poles and finishing second at both Dover and Pocono. He is 685 points behind Gordon.
Behind Newman is Earnhardt Jr. (-33) and Jamie McMurray (-77).
Drivers holding the ninth through 11 positions are also not a "lock" and will be points racing over these final dozen races. Kevin Harvick in ninth, is just 117 points ahead of "Junior." Kyle Busch and the suddenly formidable Truex Jr. have even less of a hold on their "Chase" positions.
The race for the "Chase" should be great summer fare. It starts this weekend at MIS.