Qualifying: Jarrett beats team mate to pole

Jarrett was the fastest of the two Fords, lapping the 2.45-mile road course in upstate New York in 1m11.884 seconds, while team mate Rudd, who won pole at the corresponding fixture last year, was a further two tenths back.

The leading Chevrolet was that of Jerry Nadeau, claiming the third fastest spot in Friday's qualifying session. And Robby Gordon added a certain symmetry to the proceedings by qualifying fourth, making it two Fords then two Chevys in the top four.

Rusty Wallace posted the fifth fastest time of the session, while sportscar interloper Ron Fellows, fresh from his GTS class win in the ALMS race at Portland last week, rounded out the top six.

Jarrett and Rudd lie second and third in the Winston Cup standings, but the man who leads the series, Jeff Gordon, again didn't have the best of qualifying sessions. The Hendrick Motorsports driver could only manage the 13th fastest time on Friday, however Gordon started from 27th in last week's Brickyard 400 so is by no means out of Sunday's 90-lap race.

For full qualifying results click here.