LOUDON, N.H. -- Tony Eury Jr. tried getting Dale Earnhardt Jr. a championship one way. This year, he'll try a more aggressive approach.

Eury said Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway that he enters NASCAR's championship Chase thinking about victories not top-10 finishes.

"We told Dale Jr. we're going to try to win the first five [races],'' Eury said. "If you win the first five, you'll have a big enough [points] cushion, you won't have to worry about it.''

That's not likely, but the sentiment is different from the 2004 Chase, the last time Eury and Earnhardt were in the Chase. Eury said he had a more conservative approach then, focusing more on top-10 finishes. That worked fine until Earnhardt crashed in the final laps at Atlanta and finished 33rd, all but ruining his chances for the title.

"We said our goal was to try to get into the Chase,'' Eury said. "Now we're going to try to win it. The only way you can try to win it is to win the most races and get the most top-fives.''

"You might as well try to win as many rounds as you can," Earnhardt said. "Every race is an opportunity to separate yourself from the field.''

Fast time

Kevin Harvick admits he's not much for qualifying -- "I really don't care about qualifying,'' he says -- but he knew a good starting spot could be important Sunday on this tight 1-mile track. The further he starts up front the less work he'll have to do to get there on a track that tests drivers' tempers.

Harvick won his first pole in more than a year when he qualified at 132.282 mph. Jeff Gordon starts second at 131.751 mph. Penske teammates Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, along with rookie Denny Hamlin complete the top five.

Points leader Matt Kenseth qualified 25th, a spot ahead of Roush Racing teammate Mark Martin. Kasey Kahne starts 33rd, worst among the 10 drivers competing in the Chase. Kahne blamed an ill-handling car for his slow run.

Also, Ken Schrader starts 10th for the Wood Brothers. This is Schrader's best start this season and his best since starting seventh at Bristol in August 2005.

No change

Although Kevin Grubb told the Richmond Times-Dispatch he does not recall being asked to submit to a drug test after his crash at Richmond last week, a NASCAR spokesman says series officials remain firm about his suspension.

NASCAR suspended Grubb indefinitely after he refused to submit to a drug test. NASCAR suspended Grubb in 2004 for violating the series' substance abuse policy. Part of his reinstatement earlier this year was that he had to take random drug tests. Grubb told the Times-Dispatch he was "foggy'' after his accident last week and that he doesn't "remember most of being at the track.''

Asked if Grubb's comments might change NASCAR's stance, spokesperson Kerry Tharp said: "NASCAR made multiple requests for him to submit to a test and we're comfortable on our position with that.''

Pit stops

Kevin Harvick hit Denny Hamlin with a pie in the face. That was in retaliation for Hamlin hitting Harvick with a pie on the set of "Live with Regis and Kelly" earlier this week. Both were done as jokes and the drivers bear no ill will toward the other. ... Jeremy Mayfield will run the Craftsman Truck race Sept. 23 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for truck owner Billy Ballew. ... The truck series races today at New Hampshire. The Busch series is off this weekend.