Chase Elliott takes pole for NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville

Chase Elliott won the NASCAR pole Friday for the Saturday night race at Martinsville Speedway, which is awarded to the driver with the highest speed in the one-lap, single-car final round.

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and current co-leader ended Ryan Blaney’s streak of three consecutive poles as he turned a fast lap at 96.151 mph in the new Next Gen cars.

Chase Elliott: “It’s nice to grab a pole”

“When they (told me the time) I thought someone could get there to it. It honestly surprised me that it was that fast,” Elliott said. “I thought I had a good lap but not a great lap,” said Elliott. “It’s nice to grab a pole – it’s been a while.

Aric Almirola qualified in second place, followed by Cole Custer, James Buescher and William Byron, who won the Truck Series race at the track on Thursday.

The pole is the first of the 2022 season for Elliott, and the 10th of his career. The 26-year-old leads the series standings but remains the only Hendrick Motorsports driver (HMS) without a year so far.

NASCAR is in Week two of a three-week run of less than-a-mile tracks.

Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski and Todd Gilliland are completing the top-10 starters in Saturday night’s race.