Martin Truex Jr. wins pole at Kentucky Speedway

Fri., July 13, 2018

By Gary B. Graves Associated Press

Quaker State 400 lineup

NASCAR CUP SERIES

After Friday qualifying; race Saturday

At Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky.

Lap length: 1.5 miles; Shape: Oval

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 188.890 mph. 2. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 188.739. 3. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 188.547. 4. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 188.390. 5. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.206. 6. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 188.121. 7. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 187.944. 8. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 187.696. 9. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford, 187.630. 10. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.071.

11. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 187.000. 12. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 186.884. 13. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 187.169. 14. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 187.071. 15. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 186.625. 16. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 186.548. 17. (6) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 186.522. 18. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 186.342. 19. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 186.329. 20. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 186.181.

21. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 186.143. 22. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 185.886. 23. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 185.465. 24. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 184.716. 25. (43) Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 184.533. 26. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 184.483. 27. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 184.420. 28. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 182.846. 29. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 182.543. 30. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 181.178.

31. (72) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 180.385. 32. (23) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 179.868. 33. (00) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 179.104. 34. (51) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 177.883. 35. (99) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 176.188. 36. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 0.000. 37. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 0.000. 38. (7) Jesse Little, Chevrolet, 0.000. 39. (66) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 0.000.

SPARTA, Ky. – Defending champion Martin Truex Jr. has won the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

Truex clocked 188.890 mph to earn his first Kentucky pole and 19th of his career on Friday. He led 152 of 274 laps on his way to winning this race last July.

Truex’s No. 78 Toyota led a front-row sweep of Camrys for the 400-mile race Saturday night. Erik Jones, who earned his first career Cup win last week at Daytona, will start second after turning a lap of 188.739 mph in the No. 20 Toyota.

Kevin Harvick (188.547) and three-time Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski (188.390) were next in Ford Fusions. Points leader Kyle Busch, a two-time Kentucky champion, rounded out the top five by clocking 188.206 mph in the No. 18 Toyota.