Sadler toured the high-banked, half-mile track at 127.733 mph. Dave Blaney will start alongside Sadler on the front row of the Food City 500 after a lap of 127.444 mph. Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon and rookie Travis Kvapil complete the top five. Series points leader Jimmie Johnson starts 14th. Defending race winner Kurt Busch starts 26th. Carl Edwards, who is coming off his first career NASCAR Nextel Cup victory two weeks ago at Atlanta, crashed during his attempt. The team will use a backup car. He'll start 42nd in the 43-car field.

Sadler admitted he was surprised by the lap, but that it was another special moment at this track. Sadler won his first Cup race here in 2001.

"I think I've got the best car I've ever had in my life as far as in race trim," Sadler said. "I'm proud of my guys and what they gave me.

"Every time I come to Bristol, something special happens."

Failing to qualify were: Robby Gordon, Johnny Sauter, Kevin Lepage, Brad Teague, Randy LaJoie and Jason Jarrett.

Back again

A year ago at this event, Jamie McMurray's car failed pre-event inspection. NASCAR later docked McMurray 25 points for the infraction. McMurray missed making last year's title chase by 15 points.

"That will never happen again with our race team or anyone in our organization," McMurray said of the rules violation. "It's just a mistake we made last year. I thought about it when I woke up (Friday) morning. It's April Fool's Day and I thought someone might play that joke on me, but it's not something I consider any more.

"Obviously that 25 points was huge at the end of the year. We look back on it now and we know how important that would have been, but it wasn't anything intentional."

All-Star change

Nextel announced a new program that will allow fans to vote for a driver to compete in the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge.

Voting begins Sunday at www.Nextel.com/allstar. Fans also can vote through their Nextel phones by text messaging STAR to 7827.

Fans can choose one driver among the top 35 in points to compete in the all-star race May21 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Fans participating will automatically be entered for a chance to win $50,000 and a fan VIP package.

Martinsville special

Fans who purchase $40 backstretch tickets for next weekend's Cup race at Martinsville Speedway will get a chance to walk the track before the race in a promotion with Pepsi.

Tickets remain for the race and can be purchased by calling 1-877-722-3849 (1-877-RACE-TIX).

Pit stops

Cup cars were impounded after Friday's qualifying and won't be on the track until Sunday's race, giving many drivers a chance to return home to the Charlotte, N.C., area and enjoy a day off. ... The Busch series qualifies today and then runs its race. Busch teams practiced Friday. ... A record 750,000 votes have been registered for NASCAR's most popular driver award. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads and is followed by Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. Voting is at www.mostpopulardriver.com.