On Track - Friday March 6th

Mark Martin won the pole Friday night for the Kobalt Tools 500 with a lap of 29.640 seconds at 187.045 mph.

This is his 42nd pole in 726 Cup Series races. Martin’s last pole was at Richmond on May 5, 2001. Some 281 races ago. This is his first pole and third top-10 start - so far this season. This is his second pole in 47 races @ Atlanta Motor Speedway. Martin also posted the fastest lap during practice earlier on in the afternoon. It needs to mentioned again that this is Martin's first full time season after sitting in on a part-time basis over the last two seasons.

"I'm still shaking" Mark Martin said after his qualifying run. "I thought I ran out of talent in turn four. There was no possible way to hold my foot on the floor and not hit the wall, back end first, in turn four. But that was really fun. I live to scare myself like that."

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Kurt Busch qualified second after putting up a lap of 186.365. It's his third top-10 start this season and sixth in his 17 races @ AMS. Busch posted his second runner-up start in as many races. He knew he was racing for second. "When I saw that lap posted, I said, 'I can't touch that. I'm not even going to come close'. Everyone was holding their breath for 30 seconds out there."

Jamie McMurray qualified third followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Joe Nemechek, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick rounding out the top 10.

Other notables include: Tony Stewart 11th; Ryan Newman 12th; Jeff Gordon 16th; Dale Earnhardt Jr. 20th; Carl Edwards 29th and Matt Kenseth 30th.

47 drivers took part in qualifying. Those that failed to qualify: Scott Riggs, Jeremy Mayfield, Todd Bodine and Geoff Bodine.

13 of the 99 cup races @ AMS have been won from the pole. Kasey Kahne was the last driver to accomplish that feat on March 19, 2006.

The trucks were on the track for 2 practice sessions (Friday). Kyle Busch was the fastest during final practice followed by Mike Skinner, Colin Braun, Ron Hornaday Jr and Todd Bodine - in the top 5. Kyle Busch has won 3 of his 4 truck starts @ AMS.

Kyle Busch is the defending race winner. Ron Hornaday Jr was last year's pole sitter.

Qualifying begins Saturday morning at 9:35. The American Commercial Lines 200 follows at 2 on the Speed Channel.