Gordon Sets Record in Qualifying Run

Jeff Gordon has had trouble finishing races recently, but there is nothing wrong with his qualifying.

The defending Winston Cup and Brickyard 400 champion won his seventh pole of the season Thursday, qualifying for Saturday’s race at a record speed of 179.612 mph over Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile track in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

The lap broke Ernie Irvan’s track record of 179.394, set last year.

Mark Martin qualified second at 178.941 and will join Gordon in the front row Saturday.

“I’m shocked,” Gordon said when qualifying ended and he was still No. 1. He had been the fourth driver to take a lap and had to sweat out 50 more qualifiers before becoming the pole sitter.

He has failed to finish three of the last nine races and has dropped to sixth in Winston Cup standings. Points leader Dale Jarrett qualified fourth.

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Dale Earnhardt will go for his third IROC championship today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a new look.

For the first time since 1982, stock car racing’s “Intimidator” will be without his trademark mustache.

“It don’t have nothing to do with the way I drive, so it’s no big deal,” the seven-time Winston Cup champion said when asked about his clean-shaven face. Earnhardt, who won the IROC in 1990 and 1995, has won all three races this year, at Daytona, Talladega and Michigan Speedways.

If he wins today, Earnhardt will become the first driver to sweep the series.

He will start in the rear row of the 12-car field alongside Martin, his only championship challenger. Earnhardt leads, 68-48, with 21 points going to today’s winner.

Champ car driver Greg Moore, one of four open-wheel drivers in IROC, crashed hard during practice Wednesday, but was uninjured and will be in the race.

“I always thought I’d be here for the 500 when I was growing up in Canada, but this will be my first time to race at the Speedway,” Moore said. “On the other hand, I can now say that I hit the wall at the Speedway too.”

Former Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever will start on the pole for the 40-lap, 100-mile race.