Benson Sixth At Pocono

Johnny Benson returned to the seat of the #10 Valvoline Pontiac Friday
afternoon qualifying sixth on the high-speed tri-oval at Pocono Raceway.

Benson sat out the last two races after a July 6 accident at Daytona that broke
three of his ribs. Benson put a little more padding in his seat, gritted his
teeth and turned in the fast qualifying time.

"We are pretty happy with that," Benson said. "We were fifth in practice and we backed that up in qualifying today. Let me tell you driving this Valvoline
Pontiac is a lot more fun that sitting at home watching it on television. I'm
glad to be back with my guys and hope we can have a great run here Sunday."

Benson liked his lap.

"The Valvoline Pontiac's running pretty good. I got a little bit loose there
in the last turn coming towards the checkered - I thought I was going to get a
little bit more, but I slid around. This has been a good car for us. We ran
it at California, ran sixth at Michigan with it, and this is the car Jerry
(Nadeau) tested at Indy and it was real fast, so we're looking forward to
running this car for the race. It was a good lap. I mean, the track slowed up
a little bit from practice, but I'm pretty happy with this Valvoline car. It's
real neutral. I think we're going to have a great car for Sunday - I'm really
looking forward to it."

Benson said he felt fine.

"I feel pretty good. It's a little tough getting in and out, but once you get
in there, I'm hoping when the car gets hot I won't even feel like I've got a
problem at all."

Bill Elliott won his fourth pole of the season. Ricky Rudd, Jeremy Mayfield,
John Andretti, and Michael Waltrip and are the only other drivers who will
start in front of Benson on Sunday.

Benson knows track position matters at Pocono. Seven of the last 10 races at
Pocono Raceway have been won from a starting position of fourth or better.

"It was real important we get a good run in today and we did that," he said.
"This is a place you really want to start up front."

Starting Lineup

1 Bill Elliott
2 Ricky Rudd
3 Michael Waltrip
4 Jeremy Mayfield
5 John Andretti
6 Johnny Benson
7 Jimmie Johnson*
8 Ryan Newman*
9 Rusty Wallace
10 Tony Stewart
11 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
12 Jerry Nadeau
13 Sterling Marlin
14 Steve Park
15 Dale Jarrett
16 Ricky Craven
17 Mark Martin
18 Bobby Hamilton
19 Casey Atwood
20 Joe Nemechek
21 Dave Blaney
22 Matt Kenseth
23 Kurt Busch
24 Geoffrey Bodine
25 Ken Schrader
26 Jeff Green
27 Robby Gordon
28 Jeff Gordon
29 Kevin Harvick
30 Terry Labonte
31 Hut Stricklin
32 Elliott Sadler
33 Jeff Burton
34 Ward Burton
35 Jimmy Spencer
36 Mike Wallace
37 Bobby Labonte
38 Kyle Petty
39 Mike Skinner
40 Brett Bodine
41 Derrike Cope
42 Kirk Shelmerdine
43 Morgan Shepherd

Benson liked his lap.

"The Valvoline Pontiac's running pretty good. I got a little bit loose there
in the last turn coming towards the checkered - I thought I was going to get a
little bit more, but I slid around. This has been a good car for us. We ran
it at California, ran sixth at Michigan with it, and this is the car Jerry
(Nadeau) tested at Indy and it was real fast, so we're looking forward to
running this car for the race. It was a good lap. I mean, the track slowed up
a little bit from practice, but I'm pretty happy with this Valvoline car. It's
real neutral. I think we're going to have a great car for Sunday - I'm really
looking forward to it."

Benson said he felt fine.

"I feel pretty good. It's a little tough getting in and out, but once you get
in there, I'm hoping when the car gets hot I won't even feel like I've got a
problem at all."

Bill Elliott won his fourth pole of the season. Ricky Rudd, Jeremy Mayfield,
John Andretti, and Michael Waltrip and are the only other drivers who will
start in front of Benson on Sunday.

Benson knows track position matters at Pocono. Seven of the last 10 races at
Pocono Raceway have been won from a starting position of fourth or better.

"It was real important we get a good run in today and we did that," he said.
"This is a place you really want to start up front."

Starting Lineup

1 Bill Elliott
2 Ricky Rudd
3 Michael Waltrip
4 Jeremy Mayfield
5 John Andretti
6 Johnny Benson
7 Jimmie Johnson*
8 Ryan Newman*
9 Rusty Wallace
10 Tony Stewart
11 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
12 Jerry Nadeau
13 Sterling Marlin
14 Steve Park
15 Dale Jarrett
16 Ricky Craven
17 Mark Martin
18 Bobby Hamilton
19 Casey Atwood
20 Joe Nemechek
21 Dave Blaney
22 Matt Kenseth
23 Kurt Busch
24 Geoffrey Bodine
25 Ken Schrader
26 Jeff Green
27 Robby Gordon
28 Jeff Gordon
29 Kevin Harvick
30 Terry Labonte
31 Hut Stricklin
32 Elliott Sadler
33 Jeff Burton
34 Ward Burton
35 Jimmy Spencer
36 Mike Wallace
37 Bobby Labonte
38 Kyle Petty
39 Mike Skinner
40 Brett Bodine
41 Derrike Cope
42 Kirk Shelmerdine
43 Morgan Shepherd