MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin claimed the forty ninth Busch Gentle Pole Award of his profession Saturday afternoon, claiming the primary beginning spot for Sunday’s Cook dinner Out 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Martinsville Speedway, a monitor the place he has lengthy established himself as the most effective.
Hamlin’s JGR No. 11 Toyota turned a lap of 98.241 mph across the half-mile Martinsville oval — .056-second sooner than one other one of many monitor’s current greatest performers, William Byron within the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. They’ll lead the sphere to inexperienced on Sunday, with Hamlin racing for his second victory of the season and Byron hoping to place a Chevrolet in victory lane for the primary time in 2026.
“I knew it was attainable merely from the place my automotive was in observe,” mentioned Hamlin who now has 5 profession Martinsville pole awards. “Any time you’ve got received quick lap velocity in observe right here that is within the prime 12, you are shut sufficient there that qualifying trim does not change your automotive that a lot.”
“You have received sufficient velocity to the place you nail it and do a adequate job as a driver you’ve got received an opportunity on the pole, so I knew it was very attainable however in truth, I approached the lap to get within the prime eight. I believe I would go sooner if I went and did it once more proper now, however I believe I will go on and stand on my time,” he added with a smile.
Hamlin now ties Bobby Issac for the tenth most pole awards in cup collection historical past, a mark that genuinely appeared to shock Hamlin, who answered questions on it with an instantaneous and aggressive response, “Who has the following most on the checklist?” Ryan Newman is subsequent with 51.
“I by no means actually go into any weekend enthusiastic about qualifying on pole, it is actually type of a sidebar to how my Saturday goes,” Hamlin mentioned. “It is fairly superior, and actually, with age, the toughest half is definitely nonetheless having a quick time. It is one factor to have the ability to handle races and use your expertise to your benefit. However often, the very first thing to go is your uncooked velocity and we’re nonetheless knocking off poles, which is actually good.”
Wooden Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry was third quickest within the No. 21 Ford and can share the second row with Hamlin’s JGR teammate Ty Gibbs within the No. 54 Toyota.
Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen turned a powerful oval qualifying effort with a fifth-place exhibiting within the No. 97 Chevrolet.
Austin Cindric, Carson Hocevar, championship chief Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott spherical out the highest 10 within the beginning grid.
