Qualifying: Rudd takes pole

On a splendid Finger Lakes afternoon, Michael Waltrip seized the top spot early with a lap in 1m11.921s (122.635) before Rudd, one of the better road-racers in the field, ran a better one.

Meanwhile, the mystery of Rudd's plans to 2003 appears to be a step closer to resolution, with Havoline, sponsor of Rudd's No. 28 car, officially calling a press conference for Tuesday at Lowe's (Charlotte) Motor Speedway.

Chevron/Havoline had several choices, but it appears likely the brand will follow the driver to a Chip Ganassi-owned team next year. Mars Candy and driver Elliott Sadler are set to pick up with Robert Yates.

Tony Stewart, fighting through the penalty phase of his run-in with a photographer last Sunday at Indy, was third in Friday's trials, with Indy winner Bill Elliott fourth and solid Ryan Newman fifth.

P.J. Jones did a creditable job in A.J. Foyt's car, qualifying 14th, and Scott Pruett was 19th in Ganassi's No. 41. Jimmy Spencer, bumped to a third car (No. 42) for this race only, failed to qualify.

Provisionals went to Ricky Craven, Terry Labonte, Johnny Benson, Tom Hubert (sitting for Hut Stricklin in Bill Davis's No. 23), Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, and Joe Varde, in BACE Motorsports's No. 74.

Others who missed the train were Austin Cameron, Shane Lewis and Briton Justin Bell.