Sunday, October 2, 2011

Truex Jr Tuned for Dover Cup Pole

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR
Taking on the Monster Mile, NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and teams are set to compete on one of only two all-concrete track surfaces in the stock car racing tour. The third race in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup, focus on the top-12 drivers has dominated the past two NASCAR events aided by the wins of Tony Stewart. However, with 43 cars in a Sprint Cup Series race, Dover International Speedway was one of the final 8 races to obtain glory for any driver.

In NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying for the AAA 400, the #56 NAPA Toyota driven by Martin Truex Jr emerged as pole sitter on Saturday. Cutting a lap around the 1-mile track in 22.641 seconds, the Michael Waltrip Racing-owned stock car averaged 159.004 miles per hour. Stepping over Kurt Busch's #22 Dodge for the premium front row position, Truex Jr was a mere 0.003 seconds faster around the Dover oval. In 2009, Martin Truex Jr claimed his first and only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Dover International Speedway's spring event with #1 Chevrolet fielded by Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

Assembling the top-5 behind Martin Truex Jr and Kurt Busch for Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover is Paul Menard, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch. With only 4 Chase contending drivers in the top-10 after qualifying (Jimmie Johnson in 6th joins the before-mentioned Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch), many of the championship fighters for the 2011 Sprint Cup will start deep in the field. Most notably in 28th place is current Chase championship points leader Tony Stewart. His immediate rivals were not entirely able to capitalize on Stewart's stumble in qualifying. Brad Keselowski starts 15th while Kevin Harvick (who trails the #14 car driver/owner by 7 points after 2 races) will launch 22nd tomorrow.

Starting at 2 PM eastern time, the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway is committed to run Sunday. Chance of showers is predicted for the event but is rated around a 30-40 percent probability.   

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
AAA 400
Dover International Speedway
Starting Line-up
Pos # | Car # | Driver | Sponsor | Car Make
  1. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
  2. 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge
  3. 27 Paul Menard Pittsburgh Paints / Menards Chevrolet
  4. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
  5. 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota
  6. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
  7. 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy Ford
  8. 47 Bobby Labonte grilling.com / Kingsford Toyota
  9. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
  10. 16 Greg Biffle 3M / Cubitron Ford
  11. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
  12. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
  13. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
  14. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
  15. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
  16. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
  17. 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
  18. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
  19. 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
  20. 39 Ryan Newman US Army ROTC Chevrolet
  21. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet
  22. 29 Kevin Harvick Rheem Chasing the Cure Chevrolet
  23. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
  24. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
  25. 51 Landon Cassill Phoenix Construction / Thank A Teacher
  26. 37 Josh Wise MaxQ Motorsports Ford
  27. 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
  28. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet
  29. 46 Scott Speed Red Line Oil / International Ford
  30. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
  31. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
  32. 55 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford
  33. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
  34. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
  35. 66 Michael McDowell HP Racing Toyota
  36. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
  37. 71 Andy Lally Interstate Moving Services Ford
  38. 7 Reed Sorenson SPEED Energy / MAPEI / Menards Dodge
  39. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
  40. 32 Mike Bliss Street King Ford
  41. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
  42. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Toyota
  43. 38 J J Yeley Drive Sober. Arrive Alive Ford

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