ESPN Sprint Cup

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Give Joe Gibbs Racing the early advantage on the "Car of Tomorrow."

Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin led 434 of 500 laps of last week's inaugural COT race at Bristol Motor Speedway before problems with the fuel system set both back.

On Friday, Hamlin won the pole for Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway with J.J. Yeley not far behind in fifth and Stewart in seventh.

"We're just one of the teams that have just adapted to it the fastest," said Hamlin, a native of Richmond, Va. "I'm not going to say we're the best team; that's kind of conceited, but we are one of the better teams.

"That edge will slowly go away. We'll just try to ride it as long as we can."

In almost the same breath Hamlin said JGR might be stronger once the COT gets to larger tracks.

"We like to think that's going to be our strong suit is when we get to the bigger tracks, like Dover and Loudon where aero is going to mean a lot more," said the 2006 rookie of the year. "That's where it's going to really play into our hand.

"It's tough to say we're going to be any better than we are right now, but it's looking that way."

Jeff Gordon, who will start third behind Hamlin and Jamie Murray, obviously feels Gibbs' teams have an edge. As Hamlin walked into the media center, Gordon extended his hand and said, "You should have won the pole last week, too."

Be careful when you ask Kyle Petty about the state of NASCAR. You never know what you'll get.

"Steinbeck is writing a book that will be the sequel to the 'Grapes of Wrath,' " he said. "That's how bad it is. If I believe everything I read or believe everything I see, it's the worst of times to be in NASCAR racing.

"At the same time, it's obviously the best of times to be in the sport. No matter what the ratings are, it seems to go to a level and it seems to be able to maintain that level for whatever reason."

For the fifth straight week Michael Waltrip will be an owner/spectator instead of a competitor.

But while Waltrip failed to qualify, teammates Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann did. Jarrett will start 38th and Reutimann 42nd.

Five of the seven Toyota teams qualified for the second straight week. Brian Vickers also missed the field.

Juan Pablo Montoya just shook his head when a television crewman offered him one of the famous Martinsville hot dogs that are redder than Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car.

"[David] Stremme had four today. Two for breakfast and two for lunch," Montoya said after qualifying 23rd. "He's got some issues."

Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning hopes to begin resurfacing NASCAR's oldest superspeedway shortly after the Mother's Day event in May.

Although many drivers say resurfacing the track is a mistake, Browning said he has no choice.

"It is beyond repair," he said.

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.