DOVER, Del. — Jimmie Johnson is back on top, shaking off a poor finish in the Chase opener to take the pole at Dover International Speedway Friday.

The four-time defending Cup champion turned a lap of 155.736 mph at one of his favorite tracks. Johnson has five career wins on the 1-mile concrete oval — one shy of his best at Charlotte and Martinsville — and swept the races here last year. He was 16th earlier this year.

"This is certainly a step in the right direction for momentum," Johnson said. "Last weekend, we ran much better than where we finished. It stinks that we finished where we did, but there is nothing we can really do about it."

Johnson finished 25th at last Sunday New Hampshire. It was the worst showing for any driver in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship and dumped him from second to seventh in points. He's now sixth following Clint Bowyer's penalty.

He rebounded at Dover with his second pole of the season and 25th of his career.

Johnson's not in an ideal spot as he chases his fifth straight title, but it's far from over. If any driver can rebound, it's the cool Californian. Johnson was a season-worst 39th to open the 2006 Chase at New Hampshire. He had one win and four seconds over a five-race span in the Chase that let him bring home the championship.

"It's not what you want, but there are still nine races left and no time to panic," Johnson said. "We don't need to change what we're doing. We know we're a great race team. We've just got to go race for this thing and I think in this year's Chase, every guy in the Chase is ready to race. We know that we are."

Mark Martin, who qualified third, had his time thrown out because the right rear shock exceeded the maximum allowable gas pressure. He was dropped to 42nd for Sunday's race.

That makes for two inspection issues in two Chase weekends.

Bowyer, whose championship run was crushed by serious penalties after flunking inspection, starts 24th. He was docked 150 points after Sunday's win at New Hampshire and dropped from second to 12th in the standings. He is appealing the ruling.