Ryan Newman claimed pole position for the Coca-Cola 600 after a daring run around the high-line at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The 2008 Daytona 500 winner will start from the front of the grid for the second consecutive time at the North Carolina track after taking pole last year.
But the 32-year-old has never managed to win the marathon race, which traditionally takes place on the same day as the Indy 500.
Newman said that he had to produce “the most courageous lap” he’s ever run around Charlotte to claim top spot. Sky Sport
“I ran the high line, which I’ve never done in qualifying here before,” Newman said. “I watched [Juan Pablo] Montoya have a good one and two, and he missed three and four. I knew he was going to be the benchmark.”
Montoya led Thursday’s practice but wound up 20th in qualifying.
Following Newman, who tied Hall of Famer Junior Johnson for 10th on the all-time Sprint Cup pole list, and Busch in the top five were Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson.
Busch barely missed the pole.
“I feel like our setup is going really well,” Busch said. “How it shakes out right now, you take a mix of all-star finishes and qualifying results, and we’ll see who the good teams are. I think we’re in good shape.”
Truex, who finished second in the All-Star race, continued his strong Charlotte race weeks performance.
“It’s a pleasure to drive cars this good,” Truex Jr. said of his third-place run. “We were pretty good in the Showdown [last week] and our best at the end of the All-Star race. I think we understand what it takes during the transition [from day to night].” FOXNews
Denny Hamlin qualified seventh and Kyle Busch ninth on the same day Hamlin took some verbal jabs at his teammate following their much publicized wreck in the closing laps of the All-Star race.
Hamlin and Busch were spotted chatting and smiling on pit road as qualifying wound down. Points leader Kevin Harvick qualified 23rd and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 24th. Reed Sorenson, Max Papis, David Stremme and Mike Bliss failed to make the 43-car field.
Brad Keselowski’s decision to make a second qualifying lap backfired when he hit the wall coming out of the fourth turn, skidded through the infield and came close to hitting Kyle Busch’s car parked in the pits.
Keselowski was unhurt, but he’ll have to go to a backup car and move to the rear of the field at the start of Sunday’s race.
“Definitely some regrets taking that second lap,” Keselowski said, “but I’m all right.”
David Ragan also spun out in the fourth turn before taking the green flag on his first lap. He avoided hitting the wall, setting off a mad scramble with his team changing a flat tire before the 5-minute window to get back on the track ended. Ragan qualified 35th.
Carl Edwards hit the wall in practice and was forced to go his backup car. He qualified 31st. The Associated Press
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