Fill-in Gilliland takes pole

David Gilliland had to fight two months ago to get NASCAR approval to race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

That battle was worth it.

Gilliland won the pole Saturday, posting a lap of 191.712 mph in his Robert Yates Racing Ford. His speed was far off the 198.689 that Jeff Gordon posted during practice, but NASCAR mandated smaller restrictor plates to slow the speeds before today’s race.

“They threw a curveball at us this morning with the restrictor plate, but (car owner) Doug Yates wasn’t worried at all,” Gilliland said. “He put the super-tune on it he told me and the thing ran great. I’m just real proud of the guys.”

The No. 38 Ford will start from the pole for the third consecutive race. Elliott Sadler took the top starting spot in the same car last October and again in May. But Sadler opted out of his contract with Yates, and moved to a new ride with Evernham Motorsports eight races ago. It opened the seat for Gilliland.

Dale Jarrett, the defending race winner and Gilliland’s temporary teammate, will start second. He’s leaving RYR at the end of the season to drive a Toyota for Michael Waltrip.

Jimmie Johnson, who won here in May, will start third as he searches for his third restrictor-plate victory of the season. He needs it to help his championship hopes; he’s currently eighth in the Chase for the championship standings.

Jeff Gordon, Johnson’s teammate, qualified fourth and was followed by Greg Biffle.

The other Chase drivers were all over the map: points leader Jeff Burton was 34th, Denny Hamlin 12th, Mark Martin 30th, Matt Kenseth 19th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 33rd, Kyle Busch sixth and Kasey Kahne was 25th.

Trucks

Mark Martin won the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, coming back from a lap down and holding on after series leader Todd Bodine was penalized for passing illegally nine laps from the end.