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TALLADEGA, Ala. -- This time, Juan Pablo Montoya's first pole counts.

Montoya won the pole for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway with a lap 188.171 mph.

Montoya won the pole at Kansas last fall but the time was later disallowed after the car failed post-qualifying inspection. Thus, Montoya got to celebrate his first Cup pole again Saturday

"It really helps build momentum for the team," Montoya said of the pole. "We're working to get wins. We're working to get poles, to get noticed, to get in the Chase and be a contender."

Montoya enters today 15th in the points standings.

Montoya will be joined on the front row by Greg Biffle, who qualified at 188.141 mph. Montoya's teammate, Martin Truex Jr., Sam Hornish Jr. and Clint Bowyer complete the top five.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts 11th with Jeff Gordon 14th, Kyle Busch 23rd, Tony Stewart 29th and Jimmie Johnson 36th. Michael McDowell and Eric McClure failed to qualify.

NATIONWIDE: David Ragan has earned his first NASCAR victory by passing Ryan Newman right before the finish line in the Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

It is Ragan's first win in any of NASCAR's top three series.

Ryan Newman finished second, Joey Logano was third.

TRUCKS SUSPENDED: The NASCAR truck race at Kansas Speedway was suspended due to thunderstorms and will resume Monday.

Ron Hornaday Jr. earned the pole for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 Saturday morning, but the race lasted just 52 laps after heavy storms moved into the area.

The race will pick up where it left off at 10 a.m. Monday, with Mike Skinner leading.

8 CAR'S FUTURE: Steve Lauletta, president of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, says that efforts continue to find sponsorship for the No. 8 car that the team quit running earlier this month.

"I'm hoping that something's going to come forward pretty quick," Lauletta said. "I think what we're looking at right now is a second half of the season into 2010 if we can get one of these deals done."

DATE CHANGE? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell envisions the Super Bowl being moved back to mid-February if the league expands its regular-season schedule to 17 or 18 games. Goodell made the comments Friday in a meeting with the Associated Press Sports Editors.

Such a move is not set but it would conflict with the Daytona 500, traditionally held in mid-February, along with other sporting events.

"It could have a major impact with our entire Speedweeks," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said this week on Sirius Satellite Radio. "We're going to keep a close eye on it."

PIT STOPS: All four Richard Petty Motorsports teams changed engines this weekend after having engine problems on Friday. All four will start at the rear of the field today. &ellipses; Robby Gordon and Reed Sorenson both had their qualifying times disallowed because their cars failed post-qualifying inspection. Both cars were too low. They'll start at the rear of the field.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com