(Ronda Greer/NASCAR Photo)

Mike Skinner qualified on the pole for today's New Hampshire 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the New Hampshire International Speedway. Skinner earned his fifth pole of the 2006 season and 29th of his career with a track record lap of 29.383 seconds/129.626 miles per hour around the 1.058-mile oval in his No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota. Skinner's effort was a tenth of a second quicker than championship contender Johnny Benson, who will start alongside after a lap of 29.491 seconds/129.151 miles per hour in the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota.

With his pole qualifying run, Skinner again breaks the tie for most career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series poles. Prior to today, Skinner was tied with three-time series champion Jack Sprague with 28.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Bobby East earned the third position in qualifying with a 29.536 second/128.954 mile per hour lap in the No. 21 Edy's Dibs/State Fair Corn Dogs Ford. East will line up alongside Bobby Hamilton, Jr. in the second row after Hamilton ran a 29.539 second/128.941 mile per hour lap in the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series interloper Clint Bowyer rounded out the top five in qualifying after turning a lap of 29.539 seconds/128.941 miles per hour.

Ted Musgrave was sixth in the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota, just ahead of his teammate and championship leader Todd Bodine in the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota. Brendan Gaughan qualified eighth in the No. 77 Georgetown Hoyas Dodge, Kyle "Rowdy" Busch was ninth in the No. 15 Freedom Grill Chevrolet, and Jack Sprague rounded out the top ten qualifiers in the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota.

Former New Hampshire winners Terry Cook (2002) and Rick Crawford (2005) will start eleventh and twelfth respectively. Mark Martin will start 16th, and last year's pole starter Matt Crafton will go from 17th.

Champ Car standout and Truck Series rookie A.J. Allmendinger spun off turn two on his qualifying lap, damaging the No. 24 Bill Davis Racing Toyota. Allmendinger's team was forced to a backup truck, meaning he will drop to the back of the field for the start, forfeiting his 32nd qualifying position. Allmendinger was seen and released from the track's infield care center and was cleared to compete in this afternoon's New Hampshire 200. Kerry Earnhardt also had trouble on his qualifying run, shutting the engine down and pulling to the garage before completing a lap. Earnhardt is locked into the field based on owner's points and will start from the 35th position.

The green flag is scheduled to drop on the 36-truck starting field for the New Hampshire 200 at 2:15 P.M. Eastern. TruckSeries.com will have continuing TrackSideLive! coverage from New Hampshire International Speedway leading up to, during, and after the event.