Martin Truex, Jr. Wins First Pole Since 2012

Martin Truex, Jr. celebrates his first pole since 2012

Sean Gardner/NASCAR via Getty Images

Martin Truex, Jr. won the pole in Friday's knockout qualifying session for Saturday nights Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway, ending a four-year drought without a top qualifying spot.

Truex, Jr. turned in a single lap of 190.921 mph in the third and final round of qualifying to collect his eighth-career pole, beating out fellow Toyota drivers Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin.

Truex, Jr. led the final practice session and was second-fastest behind Kurt Busch in the first practice held earlier today. He was second-quickest in the first qualifying session but fell to fourth-fastest in the second round before topping the third round.

The pole-winning effort was his first behind the wheel of the no. 78 Furniture Row Toyota and his first since April of 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway, a drought of 147 races.

"It feels good to get another pole. It's been a long time," said Truex, Jr. "We've been really close with our Furniture Row team the past two years- we qualified second a handful of times- and we've been right there at it. We've led the first round, we've led the second round. We just haven't quite figured out how to lead that third round. Hopefully we'll be able to finish the deal (Saturday) night."

Kenseth was fastest in both of the opening round of qualifying and was on pace to take the pole in the final round, but came up just short with a 190.564 mph run. Denny Hamlin qualified third with a lap of 190.402 mph, followed by Kurt Busch (190.134 mph) and Brad Keselowski (189.907 mph).

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"] Saturday night's race will be the first night race on a 1.5-mile tri-oval with the new aero package, following the day-time race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway back in March, a track laid out very similar to Kansas. The Cup Series earlier ran a night race at Texas, which as a quad-oval is a different configuration than Kansas.

"I was thinking after Vegas as much as we're in the gas it was very, very surprising. I was thinking it was going to be like that here too, but it's really not. I feel like we're really slowing up," said Kenseth. "I feel like our minimum speeds are down a little bit in the corners and we're slowing up a lot more for the corners and the track got pretty wide in practice, so I think all that is encouraging.

"I think that's what we're all looking for with this other package is to get the minimum speed slower so we can move around the track and try to pass a little better. I think I was encouraged from what I saw in practice today."

Carl Edwards, who finished last among 12 drivers in the final round, hopes the new package will help open up a second groove on the traditionally one-groove racetrack.

"The cars are really fast and even with this lower downforce package we're making a ton of speed, but the best thing and I think it's going to – I think it bodes well for the race – is that the line is moving," said Edwards. "The Goodyear tires are leaving a bunch of rubber on the track. I think the track is going to change a lot through the race. I think we'll be running – I was already running the second groove in practice. It's pretty early to be doing that, so I really think it's going to be good."

Qualifying Results

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