Elliott wins Pocono pole

Bill Elliott claimed the pole position for Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, with a fast lap of 170.568 mph. This was Elliott's second consecutive pole position and fourth of the 2002 season, breaking a tie with rookie driver Jimmie Johnson for the lead in that category.

Second in today's qualifying was Ricky Rudd, who has dominated here recently. Rudd led the most laps at the previous Pocono visit by the Winston Cup series in June, and was on his way to a certain win when a deflating tire handed that win to his Robert Yates Racing teammate, Dale Jarrett. Rudd is also the defending champion of the July Pocono race.

Starting third on Sunday will be Michael Waltrip, who damaged his car in practice earlier in the day, but was faster in qualifying after hurried repairs by his Dale Earnhardt, Inc. crew. Sharing row two with Waltrip will be Elliott's Evernham Racing teammate, Jeremy Mayfield.

John Andretti rounded out the top five in the Petty Enterprises Dodge. Johnny Benson, rookie-of-the-year combatants Johnson and Ryan Newman, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart qualified in the second five spots.

Though only 43 cars made qualifying attempts, a forty-fourth driver, Kirk Shelmerdine, planned to make a run, and crashed on his first lap. Shelmerdine will use a provisional to start the race though, as slowest qualifier Carl Long has not qualified for a race yet this year and therefore has no provisional points.

In other qualifying incidents, Ward Burton spun into the infield grass at turn 2 on his second lap, and Bobby Labonte's car exploded an engine as he crossed the line to finish his first pass. Burton qualified 33rd-fastest, and Labonte will start last with a fresh engine in the car.