ROUNDUP News and notes

Rocketman wins pole, crashes: Despite having the fastest car in qualifying, Ryan Newman is going to have to race from the rear of the field in Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Newman's first qualifying lap of 192.947 mph Friday on the 1.5-mile Texas oval was easily fast enough to beat runner-up Jeff Gordon's 192.397. When Newman began his run, Matt Kenseth was on top of the speed chart with a lap of 191.966. Newman's first lap was much quicker, but NASCAR's leading qualifier didn't realize it and kept the gas pedal in his No. 12 Penske Racing South Dodge planted firmly on the floor for a second lap. The Rocketman didn't make it to the checkered flag, crashing hard heading into turn four when the right front tire on his speeding car went flat, sending sparks flying and the car skidding straight up the banking into the concrete barrier. Kenseth, who is seventh in the standings, 155 points behind Stewart, held onto the third spot for Sunday's race and will start from the inside of the front row, alongside Gordon, because of a NASCAR rule that simply moves everyone in the same row forward when someone has to drop back. But Newman is still credited with the pole and starting first because he won't fall to the rear until after the cars move onto the track Sunday. Third-place Greg Biffle qualified seventh, followed by sixth-place Mark Martin. Johnson, who trails Stewart by 43 points, qualified 11th, Stewart 16th and Edwards 30th.
Childress switching chiefs: Jeff Burton was going to have a new crew chief next season. He's got him three races early. Scott Miller took over as the crew chief for Burton's No. 31 Chevrolet this weekend for the Dickies 500. Miller, who had been the crew chief for Dave Blaney in the No. 07 car, will remain with Burton for the rest of this season and into 2006. Blaney is going into his final three races for owner Richard Childress before being replaced next season by Clint Bowyer, a Busch rookie who is second in points in that series. Blaney qualified 13th for Sunday's race, and Burton was 32nd.
Associated Press