Qualifying times: Pennsylvania 500.

A surprise front row at Pocono saw Target Chip Ganassi at the sharp end, Casey Mears taking his first pole position in the Target Dodge, with Joe Nemechek's US Army Chevrolet starting alongside. Last week's winner Kurt Busch starts third, while series leader Jimmie Johnson lines up 14th, two places ahead of his nearest challenger Dale Earnhardt Jr, who recovered suffiiciently from burns suffered in a sports car race two weeks ago to qualify his own car this week. The race starts around 1.30 Eastern Time, 6.30pm UK, on Sunday.

Qualifying times, Pennsylvania 500, Pocono Raceway, Pennsylvannia round 20 of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

1. Casey Mears #41 Target DodgeChip Ganassi Racing 171.720mph
2. Joe Nemechek #01 US Army Chevrolet MB2 Motorsports 171.654mph
3. Kurt Busch #97 IRWIN/Sharpie FordRoush Racing 171.540mph
4. Sterling Marlin #40 Aspen Edge Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 171.256mph
5. Elliott Sadler #38 M&M's Ford Robert Yates Racing 171.168mph
6. Brian Vickers* #25 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 171.008mph
7. Jamie McMurray #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 170.992mph
8. Tony Stewart #20 Home Depot Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 170.785mph
9. Jeremy Mayfield #19 Dodge Dealers/UAW DodgeEvernham Motorsports 170.775mph
10. Brendan Gaughan * #77 Kodak/Jasper Engines DodgePenske/Jasper Racing 170.652mph
11. Michael Waltrip #15 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Incorporated 170.623mph
12. Rusty Wallace #2 Miller Lite Dodge Penske Racing 170.623mph
13. Jeff Gordon #24 Dupont Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 170.522mph
14. Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 170.467mph
15. Matt Kenseth #17 DeWalt Ford Roush Racing 170.380mph
16. Dale Earnhardt Jr. #8 Budweiser Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Incorporated 170.197mph
17. Bobby Labonte #18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 170.023mph
18. Kevin Harvick #29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 169.690mph
19. Greg Biffle #16 National Guard FordRoush Racing 169.603mph
20. Kasey Kahne *#9 Dodge Dealers/UAW DodgeEvernham Motorsports 169.546mph
21. Mark Martin # 6 Viagra Ford Roush Racing 169.543mph
22. Robby Gordon #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 169.431mph
23. Jeff Burton #99 Roush Ford Roush Racing 169.275mph
24. Dale Jarrett #88 UPS Ford Robert Yates Racing 169.259mph
25. Kyle Petty #45 Georgia Pacific/Brawny DodgePetty Enterprises 169.182mph
26. Scott Riggs * #10 Valvoline Chevrolet MBV Motorsports 169.068mph
27. Ward Burton # 0 Netzero HiSpeed ChevroletHaas CNC Racing 169.036mph
28. Scott Wimmer* #22 Caterpillar Dodge Bill Davis Racing 168.634mph
29. Terry Labonte #5 Kellogg's ChevroletHendrick Motorsports 168.416mph
30. Ryan Newman #12 ALLTEL Dodge Penske Racing 168.290mph
31. Dave Blaney # 30 America Online Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 167.939mph
32. Jeff Green #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Petty Enterprises 167.904mph
33. Ricky Rudd #21 Motorcraft/US Air Force FordWood Brothers Racing 167.576mph
34. PJ Jones #50 Arnold Development Companies Dodge Derrike Cope 167.159mph
35. Ricky Craven #32 Tide ChevroletPPI Motorsports 166.960mph
36. Jimmy Spencer #4 Morgan-McClure Chevrolet Morgan-McClure Racing 166.803mph
37. Todd Bodine #198 Lucas Oil Products Ford William Edwards 166.488mph
38. Greg Sacks #113 ARC Dehooker/Vita Coco DodgeJames Wilsberg 165.990mph
39. Ken Schrader #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge BAM Racing 164.935mph (provisional)
40. Morgan Shepherd #89 Racing With Jesus/Red Line Oil Dodge Cindy Shepherd 163.761mph (provisional)
41. Kirk Shelmerdine #172 Freddie B's Ford Kirk Shelmerdine 162.361mph (provisional)
42. Jason Jarrett #02 The FanZCar ChevroletAngela Sadler 163.896mph (provisional)
43. Carl Long #280 Commercial Truck & Trailer FordStanton Hover 165.660mph (provisional)
Did not qualify
44. Kevin Lepage #251 NegotiationsSeminar.com Chevrolet Joe Auer 165.159mph
45. Andy Hillenberg #137 Carter's Royal Dispos-all Dodge John Carter 163.500mph
46. AJ Henriksen #90 Donlavey Racing FordDonlavey Racing 159.247mph

* Rookie of the Year contender.