Riggs grabs first career Nextel pole

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Scott Riggs watched 30 cars run their laps at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, got a talking to from his father and then won the first pole of his career in NASCAR's premier series.

Riggs toured the shortest, slowest track in Nextel Cup racing at 96.671 mph, relegating Martinsville master Ryan Newman to the outside of the front row. Newman, the track record-holder, qualified at 96.657.

"All my dad kept preaching to me before qualifying was just be smooth, be smooth, don't slip the car," Riggs said. "Don't be too aggressive, be smooth with it and you'll be good.

"You know, we ended up sitting on the pole with probably the ugliest lap I've ever had out there."