For Martin Truex Jr. racing at Dover International Speedway is like a homecoming.
Although he’s from New Jersey he considers the one-mile oval in Delaware, known as “the Monster Mile,” his home track.
And for good reason. His only NASCAR Sprint Cup win came here in 2007 when he was driving for DEI Racing and there are more reasons.
On Friday after claiming the pole, at 157.315 mph in a Toyota, he said “to come here to Dover with my old number -- 56 -- has always been so special to me. Making my first Nationwide start here with that number on the car. All those little things make it special for me. So, it’s great to come here and get a pole. I’ve never really qualified well here.”
More importantly he feels he’s jelling with his Michael Waltrip Racing team which he joined this year. “Everything’s going great so far, like I said. It’s been a good day. I’m so proud of my team. We’ve come a long way in a short amount of time as a new team coming together,” he added.
Starting second will be Kasey Kahne in a Ford. Kahne said, “We felt pretty good in practice and the lap there in qualifying felt really balanced. The splitter got on the track a little more than I wanted in one and three. I had to wait a little bit in each corner. It was a good run for us. I think that we started in the same spot here last year. I am looking forward to Sunday.”
The ageless Mark Martin qualified third in a Chevrolet. “We weren't expecting to be a pole contender, for sure. But you know, you never know… We hit it just right and I really got a great lap,” said Martin.
Kyle Busch was fourth fastest in a Toyota.
Series points leader, Kevin Harvick, struggled and will start 30th.
Todd Bodine and Max Papis failed to qualify.
Although he’s from New Jersey he considers the one-mile oval in Delaware, known as “the Monster Mile,” his home track.
And for good reason. His only NASCAR Sprint Cup win came here in 2007 when he was driving for DEI Racing and there are more reasons.
On Friday after claiming the pole, at 157.315 mph in a Toyota, he said “to come here to Dover with my old number -- 56 -- has always been so special to me. Making my first Nationwide start here with that number on the car. All those little things make it special for me. So, it’s great to come here and get a pole. I’ve never really qualified well here.”
More importantly he feels he’s jelling with his Michael Waltrip Racing team which he joined this year. “Everything’s going great so far, like I said. It’s been a good day. I’m so proud of my team. We’ve come a long way in a short amount of time as a new team coming together,” he added.
Starting second will be Kasey Kahne in a Ford. Kahne said, “We felt pretty good in practice and the lap there in qualifying felt really balanced. The splitter got on the track a little more than I wanted in one and three. I had to wait a little bit in each corner. It was a good run for us. I think that we started in the same spot here last year. I am looking forward to Sunday.”
The ageless Mark Martin qualified third in a Chevrolet. “We weren't expecting to be a pole contender, for sure. But you know, you never know… We hit it just right and I really got a great lap,” said Martin.
Kyle Busch was fourth fastest in a Toyota.
Series points leader, Kevin Harvick, struggled and will start 30th.
Todd Bodine and Max Papis failed to qualify.