Mark Martin overcame very windy conditions during Friday’s qualifying at Kansas Speedway to capture the pole for the Price Chopper 400—the third race in the “Chase for the Sprint Cup” championship.
Martin, the current points leader and 2005 race winner at Kansas, turned a lap around the 1.5-mile track at 175.758 m.p.h. (30.724 seconds) for his series- leading and career-high seventh pole of the season. The 50-year-old driver also recorded his 48th pole in his Sprint Cup career. Kansas City Star
Martin edged Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. (175.279 mph) for the top starting spot. Earnhardt earned his best starting position since starting second at Watkins Glen in August 2008.
Full-time Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski—who runs a limited Cup schedule for two car owners: Rick Hendrick and James Finch—qualified third at 175.205 mph in a Hendrick car. Jamie McMurray (175.200 mph) and Tony Stewart (175.041 mph) will start fourth and fifth, respectively.
Kasey Kahne, Joe Nemechek, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon and rookie Scott Speed claimed starting positions six through 10. NASCAR
“Have any of you ever stepped on a cat’s tail?” Martin said. “I have accidentally stepped on cat’s tail before. They make a noise and go really fast. When I stepped on the gas of that No. 5 car today, it was like stepping on a cat’s tail it had so much horsepower.”
He wasn’t the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to feel that way. The powerhouse team had the first three qualifiers — Martin, Earnhardt and Brad Keselowski — and had five drivers in the top 11. Jeff Gordon qualified ninth and Johnson, the defending champion at Kansas, was 11th.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Price Chopper 400 at Kansas - Race Line-Up
For Earnhardt, it was a long time coming.
The popular driver has struggled this season after switching crew chiefs, failing to win a race, finishing in the top 10 just three times. Using a car that the team christened at Indianapolis in July, Earnhardt earned his best start of the season after being edged out by Martin’s late qualifying run.
“We needed that type of performance and have needed it for a long time,” Earnhardt said. “It’s got the guys all excited and we’ll see how goes in tomorrow’s practice.” The Associated Press
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