Kyle Busch will start off the pole position for the STP 500 at the flat half-mile at Martinsville in Virginia.
It’s Busch’s first Coors Light Qualifying Pole Award at the ‘Paperclip’ with Joe Gibbs Racing team mate Denny Hamlin set to start alongside.
After winning last week at Fontana, Busch qualified with a speed of 160.410 km/h (99.674 mph) with Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon rounding out the top five.
Joey Logano’s lap in the first round of qualifying of 100.201 mph makes him the first driver in NASCAR’s premier series to turn an official lap at greater than 100 mph at Martinsville. The previous track record was set here last fall by Denny Hamlin (99.595 mph).
Danica Patrick qualified 10th. This is Patrick’s best qualifying effort at a non-restrictor plate track in her Sprint Cup career.
Notable drivers that did not advance to the second round were Brad Keselowski (14th), Ryan Newman (16th), Kevin Harvick (18th), Kurt Busch (22nd), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (26th), Kasey Kahne (27th) and Marcos Ambrose (17th). The Tasmanian on the edge in the session.
“I had some pretty crazy axle hop going into (turn) three there, but we were a little bit desperate,” said Ambrose.
“I took it all the way to the fence, but we’re in the top 20. We’ve got a decent car. We’re gonna make the most of it here and see if we can make it a winning car in tomorrow’s practice.”
This also ends Keselowski’s streak of four consecutive front-row starts.
David Reutimann was the only drivers who failed to qualify.
VIDEO: Kyle Busch takes Martinsville pole
TIMES: Qualifying STP 500 – Martinsville
|
POS |
Car # |
Driver |
Make |
Sponsor |
Best Speed |
Best Time |
Behind |
|
1 |
18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | M&M’s | 99.674 | 18.998 | Leader |
|
2 |
11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | FedEx Freight | 99.548 | 19.022 | –0.024 |
|
3 |
22 | Joey Logano | Ford | Shell Pennzoil | 99.428 | 19.045 | –0.047 |
|
4 |
48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Lowe’s | 99.178 | 19.093 | –0.095 |
|
5 |
24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Axalta | 99.048 | 19.118 | –0.120 |
|
6 |
20 | Matt Kenseth | Toyota | Dollar General | 99.048 | 19.118 | –0.120 |
|
7 |
14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Code 3 Associates / Mobil 1 | 98.883 | 19.150 | –0.152 |
|
8 |
99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Fastenal | 98.846 | 19.157 | –0.159 |
|
9 |
1 | Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet | McDonald’s | 98.625 | 19.200 | –0.202 |
|
10 |
10 | Danica Patrick | Chevrolet | GoDaddy/Get Found | 98.165 | 19.290 | –0.292 |
|
11 |
16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 3M | 97.764 | 19.369 | –0.371 |
|
12 |
15 | Clint Bowyer | Toyota | 5-Hour Energy | 97.382 | 19.445 | –0.447 |
|
13 |
55 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Aaron’s Dream Machine | 98.965 | 19.134 | –0.136 |
|
14 |
2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford | Miller Lite | 98.929 | 19.141 | –0.143 |
|
15 |
47 | AJ Allmendinger | Chevrolet | Bush’s Beans | 98.888 | 19.149 | –0.151 |
|
16 |
31 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | Quicken Loans | 98.877 | 19.151 | –0.153 |
|
17 |
9 | Marcos Ambrose | Ford | DeWalt | 98.712 | 19.183 | –0.185 |
|
18 |
4 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Budweiser | 98.707 | 19.184 | –0.186 |
|
19 |
23 | Alex Bowman | Toyota | Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry | 98.661 | 19.193 | –0.195 |
|
20 |
43 | Aric Almirola | Ford | STP | 98.625 | 19.200 | –0.202 |
|
21 |
27 | Paul Menard | Chevrolet | Pittsburgh Paints / Menards | 98.610 | 19.203 | –0.205 |
|
22 |
41 | Kurt Busch | Chevrolet | Haas Automation | 98.610 | 19.203 | –0.205 |
|
23 |
13 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS | 98.599 | 19.205 | –0.207 |
|
24 |
34 | David Ragan | Ford | Taco Bell | 98.599 | 19.205 | –0.207 |
|
25 |
51 | Justin Allgaier | Chevrolet | AccuDoc Solutions | 98.430 | 19.238 | –0.240 |
|
26 |
88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | Diet Mountain Dew | 98.379 | 19.248 | –0.250 |
|
27 |
5 | Kasey Kahne | Chevrolet | Farmer’s Insurance | 98.359 | 19.252 | –0.254 |
|
28 |
42 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | Target | 98.333 | 19.257 | –0.259 |
|
29 |
32 | Travis Kvapil | Ford | Keen Parts/SK Tools | 98.246 | 19.274 | –0.276 |
|
30 |
17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Ford | Ford EcoBoost | 98.206 | 19.282 | –0.284 |
|
31 |
78 | Martin Truex Jr | Chevrolet | Furniture Row | 98.200 | 19.283 | –0.285 |
|
32 |
95 | Michael McDowell | Ford | Triangle Office Equipment | 98.002 | 19.322 | –0.324 |
|
33 |
98 | Josh Wise | Chevrolet | Phil Parsons Racing | 97.957 | 19.331 | –0.333 |
|
34 |
3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | Dow | 97.886 | 19.345 | –0.347 |
|
35 |
26 | Cole Whitt | Toyota | Swan Energy | 97.820 | 19.358 | –0.360 |
|
36 |
40 | Landon Cassill | Chevrolet | CBC Brakleen-Fiberlock | 97.759 | 19.370 | –0.372 |
|
37 |
33 | David Stremme | Chevrolet | No. 33 Mace Brands | 97.684 | 19.385 | –0.387 |
|
38 |
83 | Ryan Truex | Toyota | Borla Exhaust Toyota Camry | 97.598 | 19.402 | –0.404 |
|
39 |
38 | David Gilliland | Ford | Long John Silver’s | 97.458 | 19.430 | –0.432 |
|
40 |
7 | Michael Annett | Chevrolet | Pilot / Flying J Chevrolet | 97.217 | 19.478 | –0.480 |
|
41 |
30 | Parker Kligerman | Toyota | Swan Energy | 97.078 | 19.506 | –0.508 |
|
42 |
36 | Reed Sorenson | Chevrolet | TBA | 97.053 | 19.511 | –0.513 |
|
43 |
66 | Joe Nemechek | Toyota | Land Castle Title | 96.332 | 19.657 | –0.659 |
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