Richmond, VA (Best E Casino) - Jeff Gordon won the pole for Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup at the Richmond International Raceway. The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports circled the 0.750-mile oval in 21.386 seconds (126.251 m.p.h.).

The pole victory was Gordon's fourth of the season and 61st of his Nextel Cup career. It will be his fifth start this season from the pole including the race in Texas where he started up front based on owners points.

"I really didn't think that lap was going to hold up," said Gordon. "I can't believe the roll we're on and we're going to try and keep it going."

"The No.24 is on fire," said Jimmie Johnson in an understatement.

Starting alongside Gordon will be Carl Edwards who posted a second-best time of 21.487 seconds.

Scott Riggs (21.497) and Johnson (21.502) will start in row two.

Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Kasey Kahne (5th), Denny Hamlin (6th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (7th), Mark Martin (9th), Juan Montoya (16th), Bobby Labonte (18th), Tony Stewart (20th) and Matt Kenseth (28th).

Now that the hubbub of Gordon passing Dale Earnhardt on the all-time wins list is over, the series goes back to racing and its emphasis on making the "Chase for the Nextel Cup."

Gordon's first nine races this season have put him in great position to not only make the "Chase" but to compete for a fifth Nextel Cup title. The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports driver is off to one of the best starts in a very long time. Gordon's two wins, seven top-fives and eight top-10s has garnered him 1521 points in nine races. Not since "The Intimidator" started the 1987 season with six wins and eight top-10s has anyone begun the season this well.

Gordon's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports - 2006 Nextel Cup champion Johnson is also in great shape to make the "Chase." Johnson is just 231 points behind Gordon and 28 points behind second-place Jeff Burton. Burton is still second overall despite losing 195 points to Gordon over the last two races.

Also in good position are Kenseth (-229) and Hamlin (-332).

Last year, Earnhardt Jr. was victorious at RIR edging Virginia native Hamlin by 0.572 seconds. "Junior" is winless in 2007 and sits 13th in the standings, just outside the "Chase."

Dale Jarrett will miss the race, his first in 424 races. He had used all his championship provisionals and his time was 47th of 50 qualifiers. The last race Jarrett missed was at North Wilkesboro in 1994. Also missing the race was Michael Waltrip for the ninth consecutive time.

The race is scheduled to drop the green flag at 7:30 p.m. (et).