NASCAR At Richmond: Juan Pablo Montoya Leads Starting Lineup With Second Pole Of Season

Juan Pablo Montoya picked up his second pole of the season on Friday afternoon, leading the Richmond International Raceway Sprint Cup Series qualifying session with a lap of 128.639 mph.

The Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver will pace the starting lineup for Saturday night’s Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 at Richmond, just ahead of Furniture Row Racing’s Regan Smith (128.382 mph).

“To come here and get it done is exciting,” Montoya said.

Smith, statistically the top qualifier in Sprint Cup this season, knocked Kasey Kahne off the pole late in the session but was topped by Montoya moments later. It was Smith’s best career starting position.

Clint Bowyer ended up third, followed by Kahne and a pair of Hendrick Motorsports drivers: Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon.

Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Paul Menard rounded out the top 10.

The qualifying session was a disappointment for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was fastest in Friday’s practice and thus went out last of the top 35 drivers.

But Earnhardt Jr. couldn’t match his earlier speed and ended up qualifying 24th.

Only one driver failed to qualify for the race: Brian Keselowski, who was making his return to NASCAR after emergency gallbladder surgery.

Starting lineup for Saturday night’s NASCAR race at Richmond: