Austin Hill Wins First Career Xfinity Pole at Talladega

NASCAR.COM

TALLADEGA, AL – RIS – What a time for a first Xfinity Series pole position!  Austin Hill who led a race-high 67 laps in April’s event at Talladega, scored his first career pole position in Friday’s qualifying session at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, putting down a time of 52.605 seconds (182.036mph).

Ty Gibbs will start alongside Hill in Saturday’s 300-mile contest, after posting a lap less than two-hundredths of a second slower than the pole-winning time, good enough to barely slot into the runner-up spot.

Sheldon Creed, Hill’s teammate at Richard Childress Racing, will start directly behind the No. 21 in third, while Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones each earned starting spots inside the top five.

Noah Gragson and Josh Berry will start in sixth and seventh, with Allmendinger behind in eighth. Parker Kligerman and Ryan Vargas completed the top-10 starts, both offering nice surprises for Big Machine Racing and JD Motorsports.

Daniel Hemric (12th), Sam Mayer (13th), Ryan Sieg (14th), and Riley Herbst (23rd) were the four drivers still eligible for the Xfinity Series championship that failed to advance to the final round of qualifying.

Mike Harmon, driving the No. 74 for Mike Harmon Racing, was the only driver to not take time during Friday’s single-car qualifying session at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, after failing pre-qualifying inspection multiple times.

Over the course of the week, Sam Hunt Racing (#24), Emerling-Gase Motorsports (#53), and Bassett Racing (#77) all withdrew from Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Talladega, leaving only 38 cars entered in the event

Seven of the top 8 qualifiers are all playoff drivers. Daniel Hemric (12th), Sam Mayer (13th), Ryan Sieg (14th), Riley Herbst (23rd) and Jeremy Clements (37th) each were eliminated in Round 1

Qualifying Results: 3rd Annual Sparks 300 - Talladega Superspeedway
Round 1
Pos, Car, Driver, Team, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) 54, Ty Gibbs (P), Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota, 52.684 sec, 181.763 mph, --, --
2) 2, Sheldon Creed #, Whelen Chevrolet, 52.743, 181.560, 0.059, 0.059
3) 21, Austin Hill # (P), Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 52.757, 181.511, 0.073, 0.014
4) 19, Brandon Jones (P), Menards/Little Hug Toyota, 52.848, 181.199, 0.164, 0.091
5) 16, AJ Allmendinger (P), Action Industries Chevrolet, 52.949, 180.853, 0.265, 0.101
6) 7, Justin Allgaier (P), BRANDT Chevrolet, 52.962, 180.809, 0.278, 0.013
7) 48, Parker Kligerman(i), Big Machine Racing Spiked Chevrolet, 52.966, 180.795, 0.282, 0.004
8) 9, Noah Gragson (P), Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, 52.976, 180.761, 0.292, 0.010
9) 6, Ryan Vargas, Reddit NASCAR Chevrolet, 52.984, 180.734, 0.300, 0.008
10) 8, Josh Berry (P), Jarrett Industries Chevrolet, 53.015, 180.628, 0.331, 0.031
11) 18, Trevor Bayne (P), Dollar Concrete Toyota, 53.060, 180.475, 0.376, 0.045
12) 11, Daniel Hemric (P), First Bank of Alabama Chevrolet, 53.089, 180.376, 0.405, 0.029
13) 1, Sam Mayer (P), Accelerate Pros Talent Chevrolet, 53.104, 180.325, 0.420, 0.015
14) 39, Ryan Sieg (P), A-GAME Ford, 53.156, 180.149, 0.472, 0.052
15) 02, Blaine Perkins(i), AUTOParkit Chevrolet, 53.176, 180.081, 0.492, 0.020
16) 27, Jeb Burton, Solid Rock Carriers Chevrolet, 53.180, 180.068, 0.496, 0.004
17) 68, Brandon Brown, Zero FG Energy Chevrolet, 53.215, 179.949, 0.531, 0.035
18) 10, Landon Cassill, Voyager: Crypto for All Chevrolet, 53.223, 179.922, 0.539, 0.008
19) 07, Joe Graf Jr., G Coin Ford, 53.225, 179.915, 0.541, 0.002
20) 23, Anthony Alfredo, Dude Wipes Chevrolet, 53.234, 179.885, 0.550, 0.009
21) 31, Myatt Snider, TaxSlayer Chevrolet, 53.277, 179.740, 0.593, 0.043
22) 34, Jesse Iwuji #, Equity Prime Mortgage Chevrolet, 53.282, 179.723, 0.598, 0.005
23) 98, Riley Herbst (P), Monster Energy Ford, 53.312, 179.622, 0.628, 0.030
24) 4, Bayley Currey, Alka-Seltzer Chevrolet, 53.329, 179.565, 0.645, 0.017
25) 5, Joey Gase, Absaroka Ford, 53.400, 179.326, 0.716, 0.071
26) 26, Derek Griffith, Toyota Racing Toyota, 53.446, 179.172, 0.762, 0.046
27) 35, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Absaroka Ford, 53.490, 179.024, 0.806, 0.044
28) 38, CJ McLaughlin, SciAps Ford, 53.504, 178.977, 0.820, 0.014
29) 91, Mason Massey, Anderson Power Services Chevrolet, 53.506, 178.971, 0.822, 0.002
30) 36, Josh Williams, Star Tron/Alloy Chevrolet, 53.608, 178.630, 0.924, 0.102
31) 45, Caesar Bacarella, Clear Cryptos Chevrolet, 53.645, 178.507, 0.961, 0.037
32) 78, BJ McLeod, B.J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet, 53.658, 178.464, 0.974, 0.013
33) 08, David Starr, Five Network Ford, 53.659, 178.460, 0.975, 0.001
34) 44, Howie Disavino III (OP), Travis Mills Foundation Chevrolet, 53.766, 178.105, 1.082, 0.107
35) 66, JJ Yeley (OP), AMG Sport Chevrolet, 53.804, 177.979, 1.120, 0.038
36) 13, Timmy Hill(i) (OP), Buffalo Wild Wings/Coble Chevrolet, 53.819, 177.930, 1.135, 0.015
37) 51, Jeremy Clements (OP) (P), One Stop/ASE Chevrolet, 54.101, 177.002, 1.417, 0.282
38) 47, Mike Harmon (OP), Alabama Racing Pioneers Chevrolet, 0.000, 0.000, -----, -----
(OP) Top 30 in Owner Points, (i)Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Round 2
Pos, Car, Driver, Team, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) 21, Austin Hill # (P), Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 52.605 sec, 182.036 mph, --, --
2) 54, Ty Gibbs (P), Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota, 52.621, 181.981, 0.016, 0.016
3) 2, Sheldon Creed #, Whelen Chevrolet, 52.653, 181.870, 0.048, 0.032
4) 7, Justin Allgaier (P), BRANDT Chevrolet, 52.752, 181.529, 0.147, 0.099
5) 19, Brandon Jones (P), Menards/Little Hug Toyota, 52.817, 181.305, 0.212, 0.065
6) 9, Noah Gragson (P), Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, 52.867, 181.134, 0.262, 0.050
7) 8, Josh Berry (P), Jarrett Industries Chevrolet, 52.891, 181.052, 0.286, 0.024
8) 16, AJ Allmendinger (P), Action Industries Chevrolet, 52.926, 180.932, 0.321, 0.035
9) 48, Parker Kligerman(i), Big Machine Racing Spiked Chevrolet, 52.970, 180.782, 0.365, 0.044
10) 6, Ryan Vargas, Reddit NASCAR Chevrolet, 53.007, 180.655, 0.402, 0.037

Starting Line Up: 3rd Annual Sparks 300 - Talladega Superspeedway
Pos, Car, Driver, Team, Time, Speed
1) 21, Austin Hill # (P), Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 52.605, 182.036
2) 54, Ty Gibbs (P), Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota, 52.621, 181.981
3) 2, Sheldon Creed #, Whelen Chevrolet, 52.653, 181.870
4) 7, Justin Allgaier (P), BRANDT Chevrolet, 52.752, 181.529
5) 19, Brandon Jones (P), Menards/Little Hug Toyota, 52.817, 181.305
6) 9, Noah Gragson (P), Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, 52.867, 181.134
7) 8, Josh Berry (P), Jarrett Industries Chevrolet, 52.891, 181.052
8) 16, AJ Allmendinger (P), Action Industries Chevrolet, 52.926, 180.932
9) 48, Parker Kligerman(i), Big Machine Racing Spiked Chevrolet, 52.970, 180.782
10) 6, Ryan Vargas, Reddit NASCAR Chevrolet, 53.007, 180.655
11) 18, Trevor Bayne (P), Dollar Concrete Toyota, 53.060, 180.475
12) 11, Daniel Hemric (P), First Bank of Alabama Chevrolet, 53.089, 180.376
13) 1, Sam Mayer (P), Accelerate Pros Talent Chevrolet, 53.104, 180.325
14) 39, Ryan Sieg (P), A-GAME Ford, 53.156, 180.149
15) 02, Blaine Perkins(i), AUTOParkit Chevrolet, 53.176, 180.081
16) 27, Jeb Burton, Solid Rock Carriers Chevrolet, 53.180, 180.068
17) 68, Brandon Brown, Zero FG Energy Chevrolet, 53.215, 179.949
18) 10, Landon Cassill, Voyager: Crypto for All Chevrolet, 53.223, 179.922
19) 07, Joe Graf Jr., G Coin Ford, 53.225, 179.915
20) 23, Anthony Alfredo, Dude Wipes Chevrolet, 53.234, 179.885
21) 31, Myatt Snider, TaxSlayer Chevrolet, 53.277, 179.740
22) 34, Jesse Iwuji #, Equity Prime Mortgage Chevrolet, 53.282, 179.723
23) 98, Riley Herbst (P), Monster Energy Ford, 53.312, 179.622
24) 4, Bayley Currey, Alka-Seltzer Chevrolet, 53.329, 179.565
25) 5, Joey Gase, Absaroka Ford, 53.400, 179.326
26) 26, Derek Griffith, Toyota Racing Toyota, 53.446, 179.172
27) 35, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Absaroka Ford, 53.490, 179.024
28) 38, CJ McLaughlin, SciAps Ford, 53.504, 178.977
29) 91, Mason Massey, Anderson Power Services Chevrolet, 53.506, 178.971
30) 36, Josh Williams, Star Tron/Alloy Chevrolet, 53.608, 178.630
31) 45, Caesar Bacarella, Clear Cryptos Chevrolet, 53.645, 178.507
32) 78, BJ McLeod, B.J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet, 53.658, 178.464
33) 08, David Starr, Five Network Ford, 53.659, 178.460
34) 44, Howie Disavino III, Travis Mills Foundation Chevrolet, Owner Points,
35) 66, JJ Yeley, AMG Sport Chevrolet, Owner Points,
36) 13, Timmy Hill(i), Buffalo Wild Wings/Coble Chevrolet, Owner Points,
37) 51, Jeremy Clements (P), One Stop/ASE Chevrolet, Owner Points,
38) 47, Mike Harmon, Alabama Racing Pioneers Chevrolet, Owner Points,
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Track Qualifying Record: Joe Nemechek: 04/26/97: 49.484 sec - 193.517 mph

Track Race Record: Mark Martin: 04/26/97; 1:50:32 - 168.937 mph

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