RICHMOND - Ryan Newman, trying to maintain his place for the season-ending championship chase, won the pole for tonight's Chevy Rock and Roll 400 Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway.

Newman earned his fifth pole of the season with a lap of 128.700 mph. Mark Martin starts second with points leader Jimmie Johnson, Joe Nemechek and Jeff Burton completing the top five. "Not knowing how the race is going to start, it could be the most pivotal pole we've had if there is a big crash in the middle of the field on the first lap," Newman said after his first pole at this .75-mile track.

Newman is among those trying to finish in the top 10 in points after tonight's race to qualify for the 10-race championship chase. If not, Newman can make the title chase if he's within 400 points of the leader after the race. He is eighth in the standings, 20 points ahead of 10th place and 404 points behind the leader. Kasey Kahne, who is ninth in the standings, starts 11th. Martin is 10th in the points.

Sponsor news

Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, says he expects National Guard to return to Greg Biffle's team and that he remains hopeful that the team can sign a sponsorship deal with Diageo, which manufactures several brands of hard liquor. Roush Racing still has no sponsor for Carl Edwards' Cup team.

NASCAR vetoed the Diageo deal earlier this year because of a policy of not permitting hard liquor advertising. Smith says he's continuing to talk to NASCAR about the sponsorship possibility for a hard liquor brand.

Pit stops

While Robby Gordon's future remains uncertain in the Cup series, he says his Busch team is set to run in at least 24 races next season. Gordon could return with Richard Childress Racing or not be re-signed and start his own Cup team. ... Ryan Newman says no one from NASCAR has told him to quit criticizing the new points system. Reports earlier this week stated that his team had been told by NASCAR to keep him from bashing the system. ... TNT, which is televising the Cup race, will have an expanded one-hour postrace show tonight. ... Enterprise will sponsor the Dale Earnhardt Inc. car with driver Martin Truex Jr. at next weekend's New Hampshire Cup race.