| NASCAR.com
Martin Truex Jr. was declared the Coors Light Pole Award winner Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, taking the No. 1 starting position after Kyle Larson’s apparent pole-winning lap was disallowed.
Larson’s speed of 133.324 mph was thrown out after NASCAR officials discovered an unapproved rear deck fin on his Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet. That elevated Truex’s Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota (133.077 mph) to the first starting spot for Sunday’s Overton’s 301 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM) at the 1.058-mile track.
Larson, who had swept all three rounds of qualifying, will now start at the rear of the 39-car field.
Truex had qualified second five times this year, and it initially appeared he would make it six. After the lineup shuffle, he was credited with his first Coors Light Pole of the year, his first at New Hampshire and the 13th in his Monster Energy Series career.
“Not the way we wanted to get our first pole of the year,” Truex said in a release provided by his Furniture Row team. “But looking forward to starting front and having a good pit selection.”
Seven-time series champ Jimmie Johnson (132.688 mph) rose to the second starting spot after Larson’s penalty. Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray and Kasey Kahne completed the top five.
Aric Almirola will start 21st in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford. Sunday’s 301-lap event will mark his first start after missing seven races with a broken back, suffered in a May 13 crash at Kansas Speedway.
David Ragan forced the only stoppage in qualifying with a lazy spin in Turn 1, shortly after exiting the pits just two minutes into the first round.
