▁six ▁ahead ▁of ▁D odge . ▁ ▁Pract ice ▁and ▁qual ifying ▁Three ▁practice ▁sessions ▁were ▁held ▁before ▁the ▁Sunday ▁race , ▁one ▁on ▁Friday ▁and ▁two ▁on ▁Saturday . ▁The ▁first ▁practice ▁session ▁will ▁last ▁ 9 0 ▁minutes , ▁while ▁the ▁Saturday ▁morning ▁will ▁last ▁ 5 0 ▁minutes . ▁The ▁third ▁and ▁final ▁practice ▁session ▁will ▁last ▁ 6 0 ▁minutes . ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁practice ▁session , ▁J imm ie ▁Johnson ▁was ▁quick est , ▁ahead ▁of ▁Den ny ▁Ham lin ▁and ▁Ryan ▁New man ▁in ▁second ▁and ▁third . ▁K yle ▁Bus ch ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁position , ▁while ▁Tony ▁Stewart ▁was ▁scored ▁fifth . ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁Saturday ▁practice ▁session , ▁Jeff ▁Gordon ▁was ▁scored ▁first ▁fast est , ▁ahead ▁of ▁his ▁team mate ▁Johnson ▁and ▁Kevin ▁Har v ick ▁in ▁second ▁and ▁third . ▁Jeff ▁Bur ton ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁position , ▁ahead ▁of ▁Greg ▁B iff le ▁in ▁fifth . ▁In ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁final ▁practice ▁session , ▁Bur ton ▁was ▁quick est ▁with ▁a ▁speed ▁of ▁. ▁Jo ey ▁Log ano ▁and ▁Johnson ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁and ▁third ▁positions . ▁Re ed ▁Sor enson ▁scored ▁fourth , ▁ahead ▁of ▁D ale ▁E arn hardt , ▁Jr . ▁in ▁fifth . ▁ ▁During ▁qual ifying , ▁forty - five ▁drivers ▁were ▁entered , ▁but ▁only ▁the ▁fast est ▁forty - three ▁rac ed ▁because ▁of ▁NAS C AR ' s ▁qual ifying ▁procedure . ▁Stewart ▁cl inch ed ▁the ▁pole ▁position ,