RICHMOND, Va. -- Jeff Gordon will try to race his way into NASCARs playoffs from the pole position. The four-time series champion turned a track-record qualifying lap of 130.599 mph at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night to win his 73rd career pole position, and his first this season. "I can breathe now," Gordon joked after seeing the time hold up. His lap pushed Kurt Busch to the outside of the front row, meaning the tension win be palpable once the green flag drops Saturday night for the 400-lap race around the 0.75-mile, D-shaped oval. Busch is 10th in points, and the top 10 after Saturday nights race earn automatic berths in the 10-race playoffs to finish the season. Gordon is 11th, six points behind, and needs to pass Busch or one of the other drivers now in the top 10 to assure himself a berth in the Chase for the championship. In all, 10 drivers are fighting for the last five spots. "Theres no doubt we all recognize whats on the line here," Gordon said. The pole extended to 21 Gordons NASCAR-record string of consecutive seasons with a pole position, breaking a tie with David Pearson, and gave him the No. 1 pit stall on the front stretch at RIR. "I didnt think it was going to come this year. Ill be honest," Gordon said of the top starting spot. "Qualifying has not been very good for me and for our team this year. Very proud of this one. Boy, it comes at a great time. ... We know how important that number one pit stall is and starting up front." Busch, the 2004 series champion, rallied after being 19th-fastest in practice, possible with the help of cloud cover that moved in front of the sun just as he was wheeling onto the track for his run. "We will take the cloud cover and we will take those adjustments we made," Busch said, adding that "we just threw a couple of things at it, and it stuck. ... That lap came out of nowhere. Awesome lap." Defending series champion Brad Keselowski, who is 15th in points and still has a remote chance of racing his way into the Chase, will start third, followed by Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth. Bowyer and Kenseth are among the drivers already locked into the Chase, meaning all eyes will be on the front once the race starts, with Gordon and Busch no doubt battling to lead the first lap, or any lap, top gain a bonus point that could prove critical as the race winds down under the lights. "It depends on what everybodys attitude and goals are," Gordon said of the tone that could be set right away. "This is a long race. Youve got to be smart. We found that out last year." Gordon arrived at RIR last year still needing to lock up a spot in the playoffs, went a lap down early on and kept battling. He eventually rallied to finish second and made it into the Chase field. Busch, too, said getting to the finish in good shape is what will matter most. 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San Francisco Giants Store . -- The NFL Players Association wants to determine if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaked information about quarterback Josh Freeman being in the NFLs substance abuse program.Shin-Soo Choo passed his physical with the Texas Rangers, clearing the way for the completion of the outfielders $130 million, seven-year deal. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday night that Choo passed his physical and would be formally introduced in Texas on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement from the team. The Rangers scheduled a press conference Friday afternoon. The said only that it was to "announce a major free agent signing" and provided no other details. Choos deal, worth about $18.6 million per season, is the third-highest this off-season. The deal was agreed upon last weekend, but was pending the completion of the physical. Second baseman Robinson Cano got $240 million over 10 years from Seattle and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, like Choo, a client of agent Scott Boras, signed a $153 million, seven-year contract with the New York Yankees. Choo started 150 games in centre field and had a .423 on-base percentage last season for Cincinnati in his only year with the Reds. He hit .285 with 21 homers and 20 stolen bases and scored 107 runs as their primary leadoff hitter.dddddddddddd The Rangers will likely use Choo in left field because they have Leonys Martin in centre and Alex Rios in right. And Choo could be their leadoff hitter. The deal comes a month after the Rangers acquired five-time All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder in a trade with Detroit for second baseman Ian Kinsler, their primary leadoff hitter last season. Both Fielder and Choo will be under contract through the 2020 season. The Rangers, who won their only AL pennants in 2010 and 2011, missed the playoffs for the first time in four years. Texas scored only 730 runs, its fewest in a non-strike season since 1992. Choos deal calls for salaries of $14 million in 2014 and 2015, $21 million in 2016 and 2017, and $20 million in each of the last three years of the deal. There are also performance bonuses and a limited no-trade clause. Choo has a .288 career batting average and .389 OBP with 104 home runs and 427 RBIs in 853 major league games for Seattle (2005-06), Cleveland (2006-12) and Cincinnati. The 31-year-old South Korean had at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases three times, including last season. ' ' '