Johnson

	Green

HAMPTON, Ga. -- After one more pressure-packed qualifying session, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Green probably can rest easy.

Johnson and Green drive for new Winston Cup teams that entered the season without enough points for one of seven provisional spots used to fill the starting lineup after the 36 fastest qualifiers.

Provisionals for the first four races each season are based on the previous year's standings, so Sunday's MBNA America 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the final race that will use 2001 points.

Johnson, 13th in the standings, and Green, 24th, will be eligible for provisionals next week in Darlington, S.C. -- unless they fail to make the field in Atlanta.

"It's been a huge part of what we do and what we worry about so far," said Johnson, driving a Chevrolet co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. "It'll be good to get to Darlington and not have to worry as much."

Of course, the qualifying pressure hasn't bothered either of them too much. Johnson won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500 and hasn't been worse than 25th. Green's worst start came in Daytona, when his finishing position in a qualifying race accounted for his starting spot of 30th. He's been solidly in the field for the other events.

"I've always been the kind of guy that if I have a pole-winning car, then I'm going for the pole," said Green, driving a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. "That's probably not the smartest thing all the time, but that's the way I am."

Johnson and Green are the only full-time drivers who began the season without a "safety net" for qualifying. Jimmy Spencer, who took over Chip Ganassi's second car, failed to earn a provisional at Daytona because the car didn't compile enough points last year with rookie Jason Leffler driving.

The extra spots were created years ago to reward the teams that compete every week. They guarantee that stars such as Gordon and Tony Stewart make the fields even if they qualify poorly.

"NASCAR has to take care of the teams up in the top of the standings," Green said. "Is seven provisionals too many? Probably. But one or two is probably not enough. So I guess the system works OK."

New teams often suffer the most, particularly if weather is a factor in qualifying. If Friday's time trials were to be rained out, Johnson and Green probably wouldn't make the field because of the rule on provisionals.

"That's the one thing you can't control," Childress said. "If you don't run fast enough to make a race, that's one thing. But not even getting the chance because of weather and then not making the race, that's tough.

"I'll be happy to get to Darlington and have a little insurance."

Fortunately for Childress, the Friday forecast calls for sunny skies.

Team owner Travis Carter, who lost backer Kmart after the retail giant filed for bankruptcy, is entering just one of his two cars. Carter will field an unsponsored entry for Joe Nemechek. Todd Bodine, last week's pole winner, won't be in the race.