Greg Biffle won his first career Cup Series pole, but an engine change during Speedweeks forced him to go the rear of the field.

The inside column of cars all moved up one row, promoting Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had won the first Gatorade 125, to the number one starting spot.

Biffle's move to the rear of the field meant that Gatorade Duel #1 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. took over the first starting spot and led the opening laps.

Mark Martin, coming off a disappointing 2003 season, exited the race with a blown engine on lap 8, which brought out the first caution.

This started when rookies Brian Vickers and Johnny Sauter made contact, collecting Marlin, Newman, defending 500 winner Michael Waltrip, John Andretti, Kevin Lepage, Terry Labonte; Johnny Benson Jr.; Scott Riggs, Robby Gordon, and Jamie McMurray.

The friction, combined with the fact that the rains had washed out the Busch race the day before, caused the tire rim to dig into the infield grass.

A temporary delay under a long caution (although the race was not red-flagged) ensued as emergency crews debated whether or not to upright Waltrip's car before extricating him.

He had to swerve to miss Kurt Busch (who was one lap down after contact with Earnhardt Jr. earlier in the race punctured a tire) and flew through the pitlane at over 100 mph.

When the final green-flag pit stops were over, rookie Scott Wimmer of Bill Davis Racing was out in front.