Johnson ran late in the qualifying order, knocking Juan Pablo Montoya from the top position. This is Johnson’s eleventh career pole, and first pole at the Monster Mile. He is no stranger to the track; Johnson has three career wins on the concrete oval all coming in the cup series.

The 2006 Nextel Cup Champion is a strong competitor in the final ten events that constitute the Chase for the Championship. Along with Matt Kenseth, the two drivers have made all four Chase for the Championship fields.

Johnson’s biggest competitor has to be four-time champion Jeff Gordon. Gordon is no stranger to racing a teammate for the title. He ran tight with Terry Labonte in 1996. In 2002, Gordon only finished seven points ahead of Johnson for the third place in the points. But Gordon is quick to remind everyone, “I have two teammates in the Chase,’ he said, referring to Kyle Busch. Although Busch is leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of 2007, he is still a teammate and contender for the title. The battle, Gordon commented ‘It is challenging, especially as things get down to the wire. And we pride ourselves on sharing information. That information sharing is what got us here, and will hopefully get one of us to the championship,’ Gordon continued.

With Busch’s departure comes exciting news for the Hendrick’s camp. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has joined the fold. This week, the official announcement was made that he will run the No. 88, a car number his grandfather Ralph Earnhardt ran in the past. Mountain Dew, National Guard and the Amp Energy drink will sponsor the car.

Gordon chuckled when he was finally able to comment on Earnhardt’s sponsor who is a direct competitor with Gordon’s own energy drink. “I don’t know what Amp tastes like, I never had it,’ he continued, “but my stuffs good I know that.”

Getting down to business, the top twelve competitors in the chase all met with the media. Gordon spoke highly of the Hendricks Motorsports Car of Tomorrow Program, which continues to reach new heights. “I think the stats pretty much speak for itself. We’ve been very strong with our Car of Tomorrow program. I’m extremely excited about all the Car of Tomorrow races. From a competition standpoint, it’s like anything else. You take a car where everybody has been put into box, and you introduce it. There is going to be some teams and drivers that are going to hit on something early on. As time goes by everybody gets more knowledge and experience with it and the competition is going to get tighter and tighter,” Gordon said.

Racing on the Monster Mile, in tight proximity the 43 Nextel Cup competitors will beat door-to-door to claim top honors. The race itself could have a monstrous effect on the championship point standings when all is said and done.

Bullet-points:

Former Nextel Cup competitor Steve Park was at the Dover International Speedway on Friday. Park is competing in the Busch East Series. Among his competitors is the future of Earnhardt Racing, Kerry’s son Jeffrey. And the new superstar who clenched the Busch East Series title Joey Logano for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Busch Series takes to the track on Saturday. Fourteen Nextel Cup drivers will take part in the race. Carl Edwards continues to manhandle the field with an extensive point’s lead. But as the races run down, the drivers following his lead have not won events. Time is running out. Time got a jumpstart for Sterling Marlin. Marlin was called upon to take a Busch ride part-time for the remainder of the season. It seems some seats have become open since many of the Buschwhackers are now in the Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship.