Logano Wins Martinsville Pole, Leading Top Fords to the Front

Jared C. Tilton - Getty Images

MARTINSVILLE, VA – RIS -Joey Logano led a Ford sweep of the top four positions in qualifying for Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.  Logano turned a lap at 97.830 mph in the Saturday qualifying to earn the top starting spot. His pole-winning run came roughly 90 minutes after Team Penske teammate Will Power won the pole for the IndyCar race in Austin, Texas.

Logano, who won at Martinsville last fall in a critical victory for his Cup Series title, will start Sunday from the pole for the fifth time in the last nine races.

“You just have to be so precise, and you’re pushing yourself so hard down into the corners, and a mistake has such a big penalty when you get loose,” Logano said. “And you’re right on the edge of these tires, and if you go over that edge a little bit, it’s the difference between qualifying first or eighth or ninth because the field is so close.

“It’s awesome to get another pole here at Martinsville, and hopefully we can top it off with another win.”

Aric Almirola qualified second for Stewart-Haas Racing, Penske driver Brad Keselowski was third and Kevin Harvick was fourth as Ford drivers took the top four qualifying positions.

Five-time Martinsville winner Denny Hamlin qualified fifth in a Toyota for Sunday’s race at the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit. William Byron was sixth and the highest-qualifying Chevrolet driver.

Clint Bowyer, winner of the spring race at Martinsville last year, qualified 11th and was disappointed after pacing Saturday morning’s practice session.

 Driver Date Time Speed
Track Qualifying Record: Jamie McMurray 10/26/14 18.954 99.905
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 3
1 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 19.356 97.830 3 4 0.000 0.000
2 10 Aric Almirola SHAZAM!/Smithfield Ford 19.393 97.643 2 5 0.037 0.037
3 2 Brad Keselowski Reese/Draw Tite Ford 19.430 97.458 3 4 0.074 0.037
4 4 Kevin Harvick Mobil 1 Ford 19.445 97.382 4 4 0.089 0.015
5 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 19.449 97.362 4 5 0.093 0.004
6 24 William Byron Axalta Chevrolet 19.481 97.202 3 4 0.125 0.032
7 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 19.502 97.098 4 4 0.146 0.021
8 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 19.511 97.053 3 4 0.155 0.009
9 19 Martin Truex Jr. SiriusXM Toyota 19.518 97.018 2 5 0.162 0.007
10 41 Daniel Suarez Haas Automation Ford 19.556 96.830 4 5 0.200 0.038
11 14 Clint Bowyer Mobil 1/Rush Truck Centers Ford 19.581 96.706 5 5 0.225 0.025
12 48 Jimmie Johnson Ally Chevrolet 19.608 96.573 2 4 0.252 0.027
Qualifying Round: 2
1 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 19.385 97.684 3 3 0.000 0.000
2 4 Kevin Harvick Mobil 1 Ford 19.423 97.493 2 3 0.038 0.038
3 10 Aric Almirola SHAZAM!/Smithfield Ford 19.429 97.463 2 2 0.044 0.006
4 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 19.432 97.448 3 3 0.047 0.003
5 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 19.445 97.382 2 3 0.060 0.013
6 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 19.462 97.297 1 1 0.077 0.017
7 2 Brad Keselowski Reese/Draw Tite Ford 19.474 97.237 3 3 0.089 0.012
8 41 Daniel Suarez Haas Automation Ford 19.497 97.123 3 3 0.112 0.023
9 19 Martin Truex Jr. SiriusXM Toyota 19.529 96.963 2 3 0.144 0.032
10 48 Jimmie Johnson Ally Chevrolet 19.550 96.859 3 4 0.165 0.021
11 24 William Byron Axalta Chevrolet 19.551 96.854 1 2 0.166 0.001
12 14 Clint Bowyer Mobil 1/Rush Truck Centers Ford 19.560 96.810 7 7 0.175 0.009
13 37 Chris Buescher Kroger Speed Up Your Cleanup Chevrolet 19.571 96.755 3 4 0.186 0.011
14 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Chocolate Bar Toyota 19.579 96.716 3 8 0.194 0.008
15 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 19.583 96.696 5 6 0.198 0.004
16 47 Ryan Preece # Kroger Chevrolet 19.588 96.671 4 5 0.203 0.005
17 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 19.593 96.647 8 8 0.208 0.005
18 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Libman Ford 19.602 96.602 2 8 0.217 0.009
19 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 19.602 96.602 3 10 0.217 0.000
20 1 Kurt Busch GEARWRENCH/Monster Energy Chevrolet 19.623 96.499 2 10 0.238 0.021
21 6 Ryan Newman Acorns Ford 19.626 96.484 2 6 0.241 0.003
22 95 Matt DiBenedetto Toyota Express Maintenance Toyota 19.630 96.465 2 6 0.245 0.004
23 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet 19.652 96.357 3 9 0.267 0.022
24 34 Michael McDowell A&W All American Foods Ford 19.695 96.146 2 6 0.310 0.043
*Required to qualify on time, OP - Top 30 in Owner Points, PC - Past Champion,(i)Ineligible for driver points in this series
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 1
1 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 19.355 97.835 4 4 0.000 0.000
2 2 Brad Keselowski Reese/Draw Tite Ford 19.430 97.458 3 3 0.075 0.075
3 10 Aric Almirola SHAZAM!/Smithfield Ford 19.453 97.342 2 2 0.098 0.023
4 4 Kevin Harvick Mobil 1 Ford 19.462 97.297 4 4 0.107 0.009
5 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 19.462 97.297 2 3 0.107 0.000
6 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 19.476 97.227 2 2 0.121 0.014
7 47 Ryan Preece # Kroger Chevrolet 19.496 97.128 3 3 0.141 0.020
8 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Libman Ford 19.501 97.103 4 4 0.146 0.005
9 41 Daniel Suarez Haas Automation Ford 19.505 97.083 2 3 0.150 0.004
10 24 William Byron Axalta Chevrolet 19.530 96.959 3 3 0.175 0.025
11 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 19.545 96.884 4 4 0.190 0.015
12 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 19.548 96.869 2 2 0.193 0.003
13 6 Ryan Newman Acorns Ford 19.570 96.760 3 3 0.215 0.022
14 37 Chris Buescher Kroger Speed Up Your Cleanup Chevrolet 19.571 96.755 5 5 0.216 0.001
15 1 Kurt Busch GEARWRENCH/Monster Energy Chevrolet 19.572 96.750 3 5 0.217 0.001
16 95 Matt DiBenedetto Toyota Express Maintenance Toyota 19.575 96.736 3 4 0.220 0.003
17 48 Jimmie Johnson Ally Chevrolet 19.579 96.716 4 4 0.224 0.004
18 14 Clint Bowyer Mobil 1/Rush Truck Centers Ford 19.580 96.711 4 4 0.225 0.001
19 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 19.580 96.711 3 5 0.225 0.000
20 19 Martin Truex Jr. SiriusXM Toyota 19.587 96.676 3 3 0.232 0.007
21 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet 19.591 96.657 4 4 0.236 0.004
22 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 19.597 96.627 4 4 0.242 0.006
23 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Chocolate Bar Toyota 19.635 96.440 3 3 0.280 0.038
24 34 Michael McDowell A&W All American Foods Ford 19.636 96.435 3 6 0.281 0.001
25 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 19.664 96.298 3 3 0.309 0.028
26 38 David Ragan MDS Transport Ford 19.703 96.107 3 5 0.348 0.039
27 43 Bubba Wallace Transporation Impact Chevrolet 19.742 95.917 3 5 0.387 0.039
28 00 Landon Cassill CGS Imaging Chevrolet 19.785 95.709 5 6 0.430 0.043
29 8 Daniel Hemric # Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Chevrolet 19.807 95.603 7 7 0.452 0.022
30 3 Austin Dillon Symbicort Chevrolet 19.814 95.569 7 8 0.459 0.007
31 15 Ross Chastain(i) Rim Riderz Chevrolet 19.846 95.415 3 3 0.491 0.032
32 36 Matt Tifft # Surface Sunscreen/Tunity Ford 19.846 95.415 3 9 0.491 0.000
33 52 Jeb Burton(i) Muzzy Bowfishing Chevrolet 19.998 94.689 5 7 0.643 0.152
34 77 DJ Kennington(i) Go-Parts Chevrolet 20.013 94.618 4 5 0.658 0.015
35 32 Corey LaJoie CorvetteParts.net Ford 0.000 0.000 0 0 ----- -----
36 51 Cody Ware # Jacob Companies Chevrolet 0.000 0.000 0 0 ----- -----
*Required to qualify on time, OP - Top 30 in Owner Points, PC - Past Champion,(i)Ineligible for driver points in this series