SONOMA, Calif. - Boris Said, one of five road-racing specialists brought in by Winston Cup teams for Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway, set a track record on the 1.949-mile, 11-turn course to earn the pole for the Dodge/Save Mart 350.
"Never would I have thought in my wildest dreams I'd win one of these poles," he said. "The (Cup) regulars usually come up big at the end."
Said is subbing for Jerry Nadeau, recovering from injuries sustained in an April crash.
His lap of 93.620 mph was good enough to knock Robby Gordon's 93.262 off the top spot and break the track qualifying record. Canadian Ron Fellows will start third and points leader Matt Kenseth is fourth.
O'REILLY 200: A lack of sponsorship didn't hurt Jon Wood's effort, and he won his first career Truck pole for today's race at Memphis Motorsports Park in Millington, Tenn.
Wood's fast lap was 117.407 mph and he'll start inside Chad Chaffin, whose best previous qualifying effort was sixth. Chaffin got around in 117.223. Ted Musgrave qualified third.
G.I. JOE'S 200: CART series leader Michel Jourdain Jr. took the provisional pole on a wet track at Portland International Raceway in Oregon.
Jourdain won the pole last week in Monterey, Calif., but it was taken away because his car was underweight. This time, he kept his point and is guaranteed a front-row start Sunday.
Jourdain's lap at 119.339 mph gave him 90 points, seven more than Bruno Junqueira. If Jourdain remains the fastest after final qualifying today, he will have his second pole of the year and first since April 13 in Long Beach, Calif. - on another road course.
Former series champion Jimmy Vasser was second after a lap of 119.267.
