Steve Parks it on California pole.

With rumours of his impending departure from DEI swirling around the Fontana paddock Steve Park gave everyone a reminder why Dale Earnhardt selected him to drive for his fledgling Winston Cup operation in 1997 by taking the Bud Pole Award for Sunday's Auto Club 500.

Park brushed off persistent rumours that his time in the #1 Pennzoil DEI Chevrolet Monte Carlo as he used a late qualifying draw to his advantage to snatch the pole away from Bill Elliott.

Park, who was 37th of 45 cars to make their qualifying run, used a moment of late afternoon California sunshine to reel off a best lap of 38.536secs (186.838mph) on his second and final flying lap to secure his first Bud Pole award (third in total) since the 2000 Homestead race.

Elliott was the very first driver to make their qualifying run around the sweeping two-mile California Speedway and sat pensively for more than 90 minutes in the Fontana pit area before Park finally knocked him off top spot. Still despite a late flurry of fast qualifiers, Elliott's highly impressive 38.539secs (186.824mph) time remained good enough for a place on the outside of the front row on Sunday's grid in the #9 Ray Evernham Racing Dodge Dealers Dodge.

Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman qualified on the second row of the grid for Sunday's race, both having drawn late qualifying numbers. Stewart went out 42nd and set a best lap of 38.558secs for third position, just two cars after practice pacesetter Newman initially took the place with a time of 38.575secs.

Rounding out the top five in the fastest of the Ford's was Robert Yates Racing's Elliott Sadler while Jerry Nadeau led the Pontiac charge with sixth fastest time. Rusty Wallace, looking for his first win in exactly two years, qualified seventh fastest but was concerned with the high temperature his engine was running during his qualifying attempt.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is well placed in eighth position on the grid while Joe Nemechek and Jeff Burton round out the top ten in the leading cars from the Hendrick and Roush stables respectively.

Other notable efforts came from rookie Jack Sprague (12th), John Andretti (13th) and Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon (17th). Further down the order defending California winner Jimmie Johnson will start 20th, one place ahead of Terry Labonte, who was among the top five during practice but fell away with a 'tight' chassis when it mattered.

Qualifying proved a hazard for both Kevin Harvick and Ward Burton, who were both forced into using Provisionals after running into trouble. Harvick's car was so loose it was 'undriveable' according to its pilot and Harvick took just one lap before shutting the car down while Burton had to abort his run before he even saw the green flag after a problem with the engine in the #22 Bill Davis Racing Caterpillar Dodge.

Joining Harvick (37th) and Burton (39th) in Provisional-land will be Dale Jarrett, Jeff Green, Ken Schrader, the returning Larry Foyt and Derrike Cope while Hideo Fukuyama and Kerry Earnhardt failed to make the show.