| | Associated Press
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Rookie Jamie McMurray, who changed teams since last competing on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series three races ago, took the pole position Friday for the Michigan 200.
McMurray set a Michigan Speedway record, going around the two-mile track at 177.414 mph to get his first pole on the series.
The truck was on the outside of the front row of last year's race, driven by Randy Renfrow, who McMurray replaced earlier this month.
McMurray had never qualified higher than seventh in his previous
15 starts on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and finished 31st
in has most recent start in Milwaukee.
He was one of six drivers to break Stacy Compton's year-old track record of 175.717 mph. McMurray knocked Mike Wallace's Ford off the provisional pole then watched series point leader Greg Biffle's bid in another Ford fall just short.
"From where I was just one month ago to be standing here today with a pole at Michigan just means everything to me," McMurray said. "It's just an incredible weekend for me."
McMurray had the sixth-fastest time during the pre-qualifying practice, and fifth on the timing charts on Thursday. A day earlier, during an open test, he posted the fastest speed.
"The truck was just perfect," he said. "We changed the shocks from where we ran yesterday and went back to the package we were running on test day. I never had to let off and the truck never once tried to get out from under me."
Biffle, the defending champion of the 200-mile race, qualified second with a speed of 176.783 for Saturday's race. Wallace was third, followed by Kurt Busch, Dennis Setzer, Rob Morgan, Bryan Reffner, Andy Houston, Rick Crawford and Scott Riggs. | |
ALSO SEE
Michigan 200 lineup
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Rookie Jamie McMurray wins the pole with a record-setting lap.
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