For the second consecutive week, Truex beat all his competition and won the pole for a playoff race and will lead an all-Joe Gibbs Racing front row Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Truex, the last to make a qualifying attempt in the final round of Saturday’s session, posted an average lap speed of 94.153 mph, just edging teammate Ty Gibbs (94.115 mph).
The pole – his third of the season and 23rd of his career – couldn’t have come at a better time.
He enters the final race of the semifinal round of the playoffs, 17 points behind the cutoff line which would allow him to advance to the Championship 4. A win would automatically put him in next week’s title race at Phoenix.
“I mean, it’s definitely a big deal, obviously,” Truex said. “The first pit stall here is huge. We have a couple new guys on our pit crew for tomorrow and looking forward to seeing what they can do and I’m sure they’re excited to have that No. 1 stall.
“All in all, a good day. This car is feeling pretty good. It’s fast. We just got to get it better on the long run for tomorrow.”
Chase Briscoe will start third (94.106 mph), JGR driver Denny Hamlin fourth and playoff driver Kyle Larson fifth.
Completing the top-10 starting lineup are Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski.
Round 1 / Group A
Gibbs edged his JGR Hamlin to lead Group A with an average lap speed of 94.581 mph.
Hamlin was second fastest at 94.425 mph while Keselowski was third (93.673 mph).
Also advancing to the final round of qualifying from Group A were Wallace and Harvick.
Among those who failed to advance were three playoff drivers – William Byron, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick.
Reddick was eighth fastest when he completed the first of his two laps but spun out off Turn 4 on his second lap. Fortunately, he did not make any contact with his No. 45 Toyota.
“We were really loose in practice to start,” Reddick said. “I think we just over-adjusted.”
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
T. GIBBSJoe Gibbs Racing
|
54 | Toyota | 2 |
20.021 |
94.581 | ||
| 2 |  D. HAMLINJoe Gibbs Racing |
11 | Toyota | 2 |
+0.033 20.054 |
0.033 | 94.425 | |
| 3 | B. KESELOWSKIRFK Racing |
6 | Ford | 2 |
+0.194 20.215 |
0.161 | 93.673 | |
| 4 | B. WALLACE23XI Racing |
23 | Toyota | 2 |
+0.213 20.234 |
0.019 | 93.585 | |
| 5 | K. HARVICKStewart-Haas Racing |
4 | Ford | 2 |
+0.219 20.240 |
0.006 | 93.557 | |
| 6 | W. BYRONHendrick Motorsports |
24 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.240 20.261 |
0.021 | 93.460 | |
| 7 | T. GILLILANDFront Row Motorsports |
38 | Ford | 2 |
+0.249 20.270 |
0.009 | 93.419 | |
| 8 | C. BUESCHERRFK Racing |
17 | Ford | 2 |
+0.253 20.274 |
0.004 | 93.400 | |
| 9 | T. REDDICK23XI Racing |
45 | Toyota | 2 |
+0.266 20.287 |
0.013 | 93.341 | |
| 10 | R. STENHOUSE JRJTG Daugherty Racing |
47 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.287 20.308 |
0.021 | 93.244 | |
| 11 | A. CINDRICTeam Penske |
2 | Ford | 2 |
+0.289 20.310 |
0.002 | 93.235 | |
| 12 |  D. SUAREZTrackHouse Racing |
99 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.369 20.390 |
0.080 | 92.869 | |
| 13 | E. JONESLegacy Motor Club |
43 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.403 20.424 |
0.034 | 92.714 | |
| 14 | C. LAJOIESpire Motorsports |
7 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.422 20.443 |
0.019 | 92.628 | |
| 15 | K. BUSCHRichard Childress Racing |
8 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.424 20.445 |
0.002 | 92.619 | |
| 16 | R. NEWMANRick Ware Racing |
51 | Ford | 2 |
+0.530 20.551 |
0.106 | 92.142 | |
| 17 | J. YELEYRick Ware Racing |
15 | Ford | 2 |
+0.618 20.639 |
0.088 | 91.749 | |
| 18 | B. MCLEODLive Fast Motorsports |
78 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.638 20.659 |
0.020 | 91.660 |
Round 1 / Group B
Truex led the way in Group B with an average lap speed of 94.595 mph.
Larson, who is already locked in the Championship 4, ended up second fastest (94.519 mph) while Briscoe was third (94.303 mph).
Also advancing to the final round from Group B were Custer and Bell.
Among those who failed to advance were Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, playoff driver Ryan Blaney and A.J. Allmendinger, who briefly hit the wall during his qualifying attempt.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Mph | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. TRUEX JRJoe Gibbs Racing |
19 | Toyota | 2 |
20.018 |
94.595 | ||
| 2 | K. LARSONHendrick Motorsports |
5 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.016 20.034 |
0.016 | 94.519 | |
| 3 | C. BRISCOEStewart-Haas Racing |
14 | Ford | 2 |
+0.062 20.080 |
0.046 | 94.303 | |
| 4 | R. PREECEStewart-Haas Racing |
41 | Ford | 2 |
+0.084 20.102 |
0.022 | 94.200 | |
| 5 | C. BELLJoe Gibbs Racing |
20 | Toyota | 2 |
+0.138 20.156 |
0.054 | 93.947 | |
| 6 | R. BLANEYTeam Penske |
12 | Ford | 2 |
+0.154 20.172 |
0.016 | 93.873 | |
| 7 | A. ALMIROLAStewart-Haas Racing |
10 | Ford | 2 |
+0.164 20.182 |
0.010 | 93.826 | |
| 8 | R. CHASTAINTrackHouse Racing |
1 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.167 20.185 |
0.003 | 93.812 | |
| 9 | C. ELLIOTTHendrick Motorsports |
9 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.175 20.193 |
0.008 | 93.775 | |
| 10 | J. LOGANOTeam Penske |
22 | Ford | 2 |
+0.193 20.211 |
0.018 | 93.692 | |
| 11 | A. BOWMANHendrick Motorsports |
48 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.299 20.317 |
0.106 | 93.203 | |
| 12 | M. MCDOWELLFront Row Motorsports |
34 | Ford | 2 |
+0.311 20.329 |
0.012 | 93.148 | |
| 13 | J. HALEYKaulig Racing |
31 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.314 20.332 |
0.003 | 93.134 | |
| 14 | A. ALLMENDINGERKaulig Racing |
16 | Chevrolet | 1 |
+0.355 20.373 |
0.041 | 92.947 | |
| 15 | A. DILLONRichard Childress Racing |
3 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.369 20.387 |
0.014 | 92.883 | |
| 16 | H. BURTONWood Brothers Racing |
21 | Ford | 2 |
+0.381 20.399 |
0.012 | 92.828 | |
| 17 |
C. HOCEVARLegacy Motor Club
|
42 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.522 20.540 |
0.141 | 92.191 | |
| 18 | T. DILLONSpire Motorsports |
77 | Chevrolet | 2 |
+0.539 20.557 |
0.017 | 92.115 |
