Waltrip wins first NASCAR Nextel Cup pole in 14 years

— -- LONG POND, Pennsylvania - It took 14 years, but Michael Waltrip is back on the pole for a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Waltrip ran the fastest lap on Saturday, lapping Pocono Raceway in 53.238 seconds at 169.052 miles per hour in his Chevrolet to earn the pole position for Sunday's Pocono 500. Waltrip's most recent Bud Pole came at Michigan in June 1991, 457 races ago. "I ain't as big as I once was but I was good once as I ever was," Waltrip said. This is Waltrip's second start better than 18th this season. He qualified third for the Daytona 500. Kurt Busch posted the second-fastest qualifying lap of 53.356 seconds at 168.678 mph in a Ford and will join Waltrip on the front row. Busch has started from a top-10 starting position in four of his nine races at Pocono. This is his seventh top-10 start this season. Brian Vickers was third in a Chevrolet, followed by Jamie McMurray in a Dodge and Scott Riggs in a Chevrolet. Jeremy Mayfield of Dodge qualified sixth followed by three Chevrolet drivers - Bobby Labonte, Kevin Harvick and Mike Bliss - and Matt Kenseth in a Ford. Jeff Gordon will start 31st in a Chevrolet - his worst ever qualifying effort at Pocono.