BRISTOL, Tenn. — Carl Edwards will lead the field to the green flag in Saturday night’s race at Thunder Valley.
The driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota scored the pole for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race after posting a time of 14.602 and a speed of 131.407 mph. It’s his 21st pole in 432 career Sprint Cup Series starts, the fifth of 2016 and fourth in 25 starts at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Denny Hamlin, who set a new track record time in round 1 – that he also previously held – of a time of 14.573 and a speed of 131.668 mph, will start second in his No. 11 JGR Toyota after posting a time of 14.602 and a speed of 131.200 mph. Kyle Busch will start third in his No. 18 JGR Toyota after posting a time of 14.655 and a speed of 130.931 mph. Ryan Blaney will start fourth in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford after posting a time of 14.688 and a speed of 130.637 mph. Matt Kenseth will round out the top-five starters in his No. 20 JGR Toyota after posting a time of 14.690 and a speed of 130.619 mph.
Chase Elliott will start sixth in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Martin Truex Jr. will start seventh in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. AJ Allmendinger will start eighth in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Brad Keselowski will start ninth in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. Joey Logano will round out the top-10 in his No. 22 Penske Ford.
Jeff Gordon will start 11th as Chris Buescher rounds out the 12 drivers that made the final round of qualifying.
Forty cars were entered so nobody was sent home.
Twenty-two Chevrolet’s, 11 Ford’s and seven Toyota’s will comprise the 40-car field for tomorrow night’s race at Bristol.
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