Parker Retzlaff scored his second NASCAR Xfinity Series pole position of the 2024 season and of his career for the National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, November 1.
The 21-year-old Retzlaff from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, posted his best qualifying lap at 95.151 mph in 19.901 seconds, which was enough to claim the top starting spot over Anthony Alfredo, who clocked in his best lap at 95.094 mph in 19.913 seconds.
With his accomplishment, Retzlaff, who is set to make his 74th career start in the Xfinity Series on Saturday at Martinsville, notched his first Xfinity pole since he claimed his first at Richmond Raceway in April and he delivered the second NASCAR career pole for Jordan Anderson Racing. Retzlaff, who is ranked in 18th place in this year’s Xfinity standings, also joins JR Motorsports’ Brandon Jones as non-Playoff contenders to start on the pole throughout the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs as he continues his pursuit for his first victory in the series.
Joining Retzlaff on the front row will be Anthony Alfredo, who posted his best starting spot of the 2024 season in second place. Alfredo’s previous best starting spot of the season was third at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.
With the front row swept by non-Playoff contenders, Chandler Smith, who is 28 points below the top-four cutline to this year’s Championship 4 round, is the highest-starting Playoff contender in third place after he posted his best qualifying lap at 95.075 mph in 19.917 seconds. He will share the second row alongside Playoff rookie Jesse Love while Playoff contenders Justin Allgaier and Austin Hill will follow suit in the third row.
Rounding out the top-10 starting spots are Playoff contender Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed, Aric Almirola and Playoff contender Cole Custer.
With six of eight Playoff contenders starting in the top 10 for the main event, the remaining Playoff contenders that include AJ Allmendinger and Sam Mayer will start 11th and 12th, respectively.
Currently, Allmendinger and Austin Hill are the only two Playoff contenders to be guaranteed berths to the Championship 4 field after winning the Round of 8 events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, respectively. Justin Allgaier and Cole Custer occupy the remaining two vacant spot above the cutline while Chandler Smith, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith trail.
All 38 competitors entered for Saturday’s event at Martinsville earned a starting spot.
Qualifying position, best speed, best time:
- Parker Retzlaff, 95.151 mph, 19.901 seconds
- Anthony Alfredo, 95.094 mph, 19.913 seconds
- Chandler Smith, 95.075 mph, 19.917 seconds
- Jesse Love, 95.051 mph, 19.922 seconds
- Justin Allgaier, 94.993 mph, 19.934 seconds
- Austin Hill, 94.965 mph, 19.940 seconds
- Sammy Smith, 94.855 mph, 19.963 seconds
- Sheldon Creed, 94.851 mph, 19.964 seconds
- Aric Almirola, 94.770 mph, 19.981 seconds
- Cole Custer, 94.590 mph, 20.019 seconds
- AJ Allmendinger, 94.557 mph, 20.026 seconds
- Sam Mayer, 94.496 mph, 20.039 seconds
- Riley Herbst, 94.176 mph, 20.107 seconds
- Brandon Jones, 94.003 mph, 20.144 seconds
- William Sawalich, 93.966 mph, 20.152 seconds
- Matt DiBenedetto, 93.780 mph, 20.192 seconds
- Bubba Pollard, 93.724 mph, 20.204 seconds
- Parker Kligerman, 93.696 mph, 20.210 seconds
- Brennan Poole, 93.682 mph, 20.213 seconds
- Shane van Gisbergen, 93.557 mph, 20.240 seconds
- Jeb Burton, 93.235 mph, 20.310 seconds
- Myatt Snider, 93.198 mph, 20.318 seconds
- Josh Williams, 93.189 mph, 20.320 seconds
- Blaine Perkins, 93.180 mph, 20.322 seconds
- Leland Honeyman, 93.074 mph, 20.345 seconds
- Ryan Ellis, 93.052 mph, 20.350 seconds
- Kyle Sieg, 92.569 mph, 20.456 seconds
- Dawson Cram, 92.362 mph, 20.502 seconds
- Jeremy Clements, 92.348 mph, 20.505 seconds
- Garrett Smithley, 91.864 mph, 20.613 seconds
- Dylan Lupton, 91.664 mph, 20.658 seconds
- Preston Pardus, 91.522 mph, 20.690 seconds
- Carson Ware, 90.521 mph, 20.919 seconds
- Logan Bearden, Owner Points
- Patrick Emerling, Owner Points
- Mason Maggio, Owner Points
- Greg van Alst, Owner Points
- Ryan Sieg, Owner Points
The 2024 National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway is set to occur on Saturday, November 2, and air at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network.