Newman takes Rockingham pole

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Ryan Newman continued his mastery of qualifying, winning his fifth pole of the season when he took the top spot Friday at North Carolina Speedway.

Newman turned a lap in his Ford at 155.836 mph to earn the first starting spot for Sunday's Pop Secret 400. He tied Davey Allison's record for the most poles by a rookie.

Asked how he has made his rookie season seem so easy -- Newman has one victory, won the annual all-star race and is fourth in the Winston Cup standings -- he just laughed.

"Easy is kind of a vague word because by all means, it's not easy," he said. "It's definitely difficult to come to a place like this and get your car hooked up for two laps. Some things will come easier and some things will come harder, and that's all just part of a rookie season.

Jamie McMurray, the fill-in driver for injured Sterling Marlin, continued his terrific burst onto the Winston Cup scene by qualifying second in a Dodge.