Search
Close this search box.

Partner

Martin Truex Jr. Snaps Four-Year Pole Drought with 20th Cup Pole at New Hampshire

share it
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Martin Truex Jr. will start on the pole for Saturday’s Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, earning his first pole in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2018 and his first with Joe Gibbs Racing. PC: Lesley Ann Miller | LAT Images | Courtesy of Toyota Racing.

It’s been a whopping four years and two days since Martin Truex Jr. last started on the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series, dating back to his final season with Furniture Row Racing at Kentucky in July 2018.

Apparently, the best way to celebrate that passing anniversary is to make it irrelevant, as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver secured the pole position for Sunday’s Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the 20th of his NASCAR Cup Series career.

Carrying the colors of Interstate Batteries this weekend, Truex posted a lap time of 29.964 seconds (127.113mph) in the second round of single-car qualifying on Saturday, to secure the top starting spot over regular season points leader Chase Elliott.

Kurt Busch, the driver to post the fastest overall lap of the qualifying session in Round 1 at 29.668 seconds (128.376mph), will start the event from third place, with his 23XI teammate Bubba Wallace earning a career-best starting spot in fourth.

Christopher Bell – a teammate to Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing — completed the top five. Also advancing to the second round and starting sixth through 10th were William Byron, Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick.

Kevin Harvick failed to post a time in the second round, after his No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang got extremely sideways exiting Turn 2, forcing the 2014 Cup Series champion to abort his flying lap.

Notables that didn’t advance to the second round and will start outside the top-10 include Ryan Blaney (11th), Joey Logano (12th), Tyler Reddick (13th), Denny Hamlin (14th), Kyle Busch (17th), Ross Chastain (18th), Daniel Suarez (19th), Alex Bowman (27th), Austin Cindric (28th), and Chase Briscoe (29th).

With only the 36 chartered cars entered in the event, all drivers that posted a qualifying time will start Sunday’s 301-lap contest at the 1.058-mile oval.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Post

Larry McClure co-owner of Morgan-McClure Motorsports team dead at age 81
Longtime NASCAR Team Owner Larry McClure Dead at 81
Thomas Annunziata to pilot No. 70 Nitro Motorsports entry in ARCA Menards Series event at Lime Rock Park
Thomas Annunziata To Pilot No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota in Lime Rock ARCA Race
Chase Elliott is carrying momentum into race at his home track Atlanta Motor Speedway
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Team Surging Heading into Home Track
Colby Evans
Colby Evans Set For ARCA Debut with Clubb Racing Inc. at Iowa Speedway
Clubb Racing 03
Josh White Running Bristol With Clubb Racing Inc.
Wesley Slimp to make NASCAR Truck Series debut with Halmar Friesen Racing at Lime Rock Park
Wesley Slimp to Make NASCAR Truck Debut for Halmar Friesen at Lime Rock

Join Our Newsletter

Ready to have NASCAR news hand-delivered to your email daily?

Related Article