McMurray on pole for season finale.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year points leader Jamie McMurray became the 15th different driver to win a Winston Cup Bud Pole Award in 2003 as he easily broke the existing track record around the newly banked Homestead-Miami Speedway ahead of Sunday's season-closing Ford 400.

McMurray gave the three car Chip Ganassi Racing stable their first collective pole position of the season with his maiden Bud Pole winning effort, the driver of the #42 Havoline Dodge touring the 1.5-mile track in a best time of 29.816secs (181.111mph).

Even though the new high banks at the Florida track lost some grip from morning practice, the top 36 drivers in qualifying still broke Steve Park's former qualifying record by more than 20mph.

Bobby Labonte and Brian Vickers both set 29.879secs best laps as they claimed second and third on the grid, with the 2000 Winston Cup Champion getting the nod over the current Busch Series title contender for the second place on the front row of the grid.

Ryan Newman didn't make it 12 pole positions for the season but still managed a more than respectable fourth fastest time at 29.881secs, fractionally ahead of practice pacesetter Jeff Gordon while Kevin Harvick was the only other driver to lap under the 30-second bracket and rounded out the first half dozen.

Larry Foyt put in a career best qualifying effort to date for the #14 AJ Foyt Racing team, who made good use of the chassis and engine loaned to them by Ray Evernham Racing while Mike Skinner also overcame the odds to successfully qualify the #00 Michael Waltrip Racing Chevrolet in 17th position.

Defending Homestead winner Kurt Busch will line up seventh while double former Homestead winner Tony Stewart will start 13th. Newly crowned Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr were among those who had to use provisional starting spots to guarantee their place in the field.

With Foyt, Skinner, Ron Hornaday in a fourth Richard Childress owned Chevrolet and Hermie Sadler all successfully making the race on speed, Kyle Petty and Ken Schrader led the five non-qualifiers. Mike Wallace, Derrike Cope and Rich Bickle also failed to make the cut.