Denny Hamlin, driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, will start from the first position in the NASCAR Cup race taking place on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Hamlin, hailing from Virginia, has five poles at this half-mile track, reaching a total of 49 in his career.
“The car has worked very well today,” Hamlin commented. “We managed to do a lot of good things during practice. I wanted to qualify in the top eight, but I focused on doing my job and adjusting to my marks. I think the track had even more margin, and if I could repeat it, I would, but it was enough for the pole.”
His grid mate, William Byron, will take the second position, while other drivers like Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs, and Shane van Gisbergen will follow. This will be Van Gisbergen’s best qualifying on ovals within NASCAR.
The competition this weekend includes more power, a change that Hamlin acknowledges could alter the strategy. “I’ve noticed that during practice you have to be very sensitive with the inputs. In the end, there will be cars that handle well and others that don’t, and we’ll have to see who is capable of maneuvering better when it comes to overtaking.”
Standings at Martinsville
| Position | No. | Driver | Manufacturer | Time | Difference | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 19.275 | 98.241 | |
| 2 | 24 | William Byron | Chevrolet | 19.331 | 0.056 | 97.957 |
| 3 | 21 | Josh Berry | Ford | 19.334 | 0.059 | 97.941 |
| 4 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Toyota | 19.338 | 0.063 | 97.921 |
| 5 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Chevrolet | 19.339 | 0.064 | 97.916 |
| 6 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Ford | 19.351 | 0.076 | 97.855 |
| 7 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Chevrolet | 19.363 | 0.088 | 97.795 |
| 8 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | Toyota | 19.376 | 0.101 | 97.729 |
| 9 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 19.389 | 0.114 | 97.664 |
| 10 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 19.392 | 0.117 | 97.649 |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_2dc7235ab1f3809e616bae8b9dfe16ab786e40fa