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.

More at The Miami Herald

STARTING LINEUP:

Pos # Driver Sponsor Car

1 18 J.J. Yeley Interstate Batteries Chevrolet
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet
3 5 Kyle Busch Kellogg’s Chevrolet
4 12 Ryan Newman Alltel Dodge
5 13 Joe Nemechek Haier Chevrolet
6 24 Jeff Gordon Dupont Chevrolet
7 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Chevrolet
8 1 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
9 31 Jeff Burton AT&T Chevrolet
10 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge
11 07 Clint Bowyer DIRECTV Chevrolet
12 99 Carl Edwards Office Depot Ford
13 25 Casey Mears National Guard Chevrolet
14 16 Greg Biffle Dish Network Ford
15 01 Mark Martin U.S. Army Chevrolet
16 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
17 22 Dave Blaney Caterpillar Toyota
18 55 Michael Waltrip NAPA Toyota
19 29 Kevin Harvick Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet
20 38 David Gilliland M&M’s Ford
21 21 Bill Elliott Motorcraft Ford
22 10 Scott Riggs Valvoline Dodge
23 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Chevrolet
24 40 David Stremme Coors Light Dodge
25 88 Ricky Rudd Snickers Ford
26 17 Matt Kenseth Carhartt Ford
27 14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Clubs & Resorts Chevrolet
28 70 Johnny Sauter Radioactive Energy Drink Chevrolet
29 41 Reed Sorenson Target Dodge
30 7 Robby Gordon Menards/MAPEI Ford
31 43 Bobby Labonte Cheerios Dodge
32 96 Tony Raines DLP HDTV Chevrolet
33 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Texaco/Havoline Dodge
34 6 David Ragan AAA Ford
35 26 Jamie McMurray Crown Royal Ford
36 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge
37 45 John Andretti American Spirit Dodge
38 15 Paul Menard Menards Chevrolet
39 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge
40 00 David Reutimann Burger King Toyota
41 20 Tony Stewart The Home Depot Chevrolet
42 66 Jeff Green Best Buy Chevrolet
43 84 AJ Allmendinger Red Bull Toyota