It appeared Kyle Busch was going to win a third straight pole in the Monster Energy Cup Series playoffs, then Martin Truex Jr. snatched away the top position in qualifying Friday at Dover International Speedway.
NASCAR Dover 2017 qualifying results: Martin Truex Jr. edges Kyle Busch to take Apache Warrior 400 pole
Cup Series points leader Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in Cup Series qualifying Friday at Dover.
Truex’s third-round lap (160.664 mph) was enough to unseat Busch (160.392 mph) — who had posted the fastest time in each of the first two rounds — off the pole and give the Furniture Row Racing driver the preferred starting position for the Apache Warrior 400 on Sunday.
“I’m glad for once we’re first and he’s not, so it’s cool for us to get a pole,” Truex said. “We’ve been on the front row quite a few times together, so feels good that we’re the one in first this time.”
It is Truex’s second pole this season and 14th pole of his career. He won this race a year ago from the second starting position in a dominant performance that saw him lead 187 of a possible 400 laps and win 7.5-second margin over Busch.
Truex and Busch won the first two playoff races and have clinched their spots in the second playoff round. Both drivers, whose teams FRR and Joe Gibbs Racing are closely aligned, are considered favorites to advance to the four-driver finale. The four lowest ranked title-eligible drivers without a win will be eliminated from the 16-driver field on Sunday.
“We’ve done a good job of just staying focused and getting through all that stuff and continuing to come to the race track and perform, because you never know when it’s going to end or when things could change,” Truex said. “So just try to take advantage of the opportunities right now and it’s certainly been a lot of fun. But, the more you win, the more success you have, the more you want it.”
Kyle Larson qualified third, followed by Matt Kenseth and rookie Daniel Suarez. Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, and rookie Erik Jones completed the top 10.
Earnhardt’s seventh-place effort was his best since winning the pole for the July 1 race at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver is retiring from fulltime competition at the end of the season and is likely making his final start at Dover. He won at the one-mile Delaware track in 2001.
Defending series champion Jimmie Johnson, who’s won a track-record 11 times, will start 17th.
Jamie McMurray in 26th was the slowest qualifier among playoff drivers.
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