BROOKLYN, Mich. - Bobby Labonte won the pole, and teammate Tony Stewart took the other front-row position in qualifying Friday at Michigan International Speedway.
Stewart put up a lap of 189.464 mph for Sunday's Sirius Satellite Radio 400. But Labonte knocked the other Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet off the top spot by going 190.365.
Labonte broke his 3-year-old race qualifying record of 189.883. It was well shy of the track mark of 191.149, set in August of the same year by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The result had Stewart, the winner Sunday at Pocono Raceway, shaking his head over Labonte's improvement from practice to qualifying.
"I'm still trying to figure out how he does what he does," the defending Winston Cup champion said. "He's the only guy I know that can constantly go out there every week and pick up six-tenths (of a second)."
Earnhardt qualified at 189.091, giving Chevrolet a sweep of the first three spots.
It was Labonte's third pole of the season, third at Michigan and 24th of his career.
Kurt Busch was fourth in a Ford at 188.783, followed by the Chevrolet of Terry Labonte, Bobby's older brother and a two-time series champion, at 188.589.
GORDON DIVORCE: Four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon reached a divorce settlement that guarantees his former wife at least $15.3-million.
Brooke Gordon waived alimony and will get the money from the sale of two properties, including an oceanfront home in Highland Beach, according to West Palm Beach court documents. It was unclear when the properties would be sold or how the couple would divide other assets.
Brooke Gordon filed for divorce in March 2002 after seven years of marriage, citing marital discord. She was "extremely pleased" with the settlement, said her lawyer, Terry Young.
CHANGING TRADITION: The Southern 500, NASCAR's oldest superspeedway race, is moving to make way for a second Winston Cup race at California Speedway. The traditional Labor Day weekend event in Darlington, S.C., will be run in November, and the California track will take the holiday weekend for its new Pop Secret 500 next season.
BUSCH SERIES: Stacy Compton won the pole and set a track record in qualifying at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Compton took the top spot for tonight's Meijer 300 with a fast lap of 176.384 mph for his first Busch pole. The record of 174.831 mph was set last year by Scott Riggs.
CART: Bruno Junqueira won his first provisional pole this season, twisting around the Laguna Seca road course in Monterey, Calif., at 115.031 mph. Second was Patrick Carpentier at 114.583, followed by Paul Tracy at 114.539.
NHRA: Jim Head (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Fred Collis (Pro Stock Bike) were the fastest in qualifying for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Hebron, Ohio.
