DOVER, Del. — Jeff Gordon is looking for small victories.

Winning the pole at Dover International Speedway was a nice one to get.

The four-time Cup champion took the top spot with a lap of 157.061 mph Friday, a sorely needed lift as he tries to snap his season-long winless drought and make a big move up the Chase for the championship standings.

Gordon is 11th in the points race, 99 points behind co-leaders Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson.

"We're certainly not out of the championship, we understand that," Gordon said. "It's too early to ever count yourself out of that."

Seven Chase drivers will start in the top 11 of Sunday's race. Denny Hamlin starts third, Greg Biffle fifth, Clint Bowyer sixth, Matt Kenseth eighth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10th, and Kyle Busch is 11th.