Taking over for Christopher Bell for NASCAR Cup Series qualifying dominance, driver Martin Truex Jr. claimed Saturday’s qualifying session for Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
Clocked at 94.153 mph, Truex will start on the inside of the front row for the second Round of 8 event in a row. Previously, Bell earned four playoff poles, including a first-round sweep.
Non-playoff pilots, rookie Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe, will begin second and third, respectively, and will be immediately followed by Championship 4 competitors, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson.
Truex and Hamlin are tied with 4,089 playoff points, 17 below the elimination line.
Ryan Blaney, who ranks fourth, paces No. 5 Tyler Reddick by 10 points.
Sunday’s event at Martinsville caps the three Round of 8 races. The Championship 4 will be staged Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway.
Hamlin, who has a long, combative history at Martinsville, logged the fastest practice time at 20.16 seconds (93.929 mph).
Six years ago at Martinsville…
Denny Hamlin got into Chase Elliott, and the two had a heated argument after the race. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JygZlK5BOS
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 26, 2023
Aric Almirola Not Returning To Stewart-Haas Racing Next Season
Following the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5, Stewart-Haas Racing and driver Aric Almirola will part ways after six seasons.
The future of 39-year-old Almirola has been debated over the past few years. He announced his retirement following the 2022 campaign, but later changed his mind and returned to the Cup Series for what appears to be a final full-time run.
Almirola wrote on social media he was “ready for the next adventure” and seeks more “work-life balance.”
“Do normal things,” the 12-year Cup veteran told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “I’m excited. I have been so blessed.
“As my kids have gotten older, it’s becoming a lot more challenging.”
While still on the job, Almirola qualified 12th Saturday.
Almirola has three career Cup wins, with two coming with his current organization.
Which up-and-coming driver is positioned to take over the No. 10 Ford for 2023?
🗣️ “It has become a lot more challenging to have a work/life balance […] I want to be around more.”@Aric_Almirola elaborates on his decision to retire from full-time Cup Series racing at the end of 2023.@StewartHaasRcng | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/0BptXexgt8
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) October 28, 2023
Starting Lineup for NASCAR Cup Series’ Xfinity 500
Here is a look at the lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series’ Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway:
Starting Position, Driver, Car No., Team
- 1, Martin Truex Jr., 19, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 2, Ty Gibbs, 54, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 3, Chase Briscoe, 14, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 4, Denny Hamlin, 11, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 5, Kyle Larson, 5, Hendrick Motorsports
- 6, Bubba Wallace, 23, 23XI Racing
- 7, Christopher Bell, 20, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 8, Kevin Harvick, 4, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 9, Ryan Preece, 41, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 10, Brad Keselowski, 6, RFK Racing
- 11, Ryan Blaney, 12, Team Penske
- 12, Aric Almirola, 10, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 13, Ross Chastain, 1, Trackhouse Racing
- 14, Chase Elliott, 9, Hendrick Motorsports
- 15, Joey Logano, 22, Team Penske
- 16, William Byron, 24, Hendrick Motorsports
- 17, Todd Gilliland, 38, Front Row Motorsports
- 18, Chris Buescher, 17, RFK Racing
- 19, Tyler Reddick, 45, 23XI Racing
- 20, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 47, JTG Daugherty Racing
- 21, Austin Cindric, 2, Team Penske
- 22, Alex Bowman, 48, Hendrick Motorsports
- 23, Michael McDowell, 34, Front Row Motorsports
- 24, Justin Haley, 31, Kaulig Racing
- 25, AJ Allmendinger, 16, Kaulig Racing
- 26, Austin Dillon, 3, Richard Childress Racing
- 27, Daniel Suarez, 99, Trackhouse Racing
- 28, Harrison Burton, 21, Wood Brothers Racing
- 29, Erik Jones, 43, Legacy Motor Club
- 30, Corey LaJoie, 7, Spire Motorsports
- 31, Kyle Busch, 8, Richard Childress Racing
- 32, Carson Hocevar, 42, Legacy Motor Club
- 33, Ryan Newman, 51, Rick Ware Racing
- 34, Ty Dillon, 77, Spire Motorsports
- 35, JJ Yeley, 15, Rick Ware Racing
- 36, BJ McLeod, 78, Live Fast Motorsports
“He’s just a hack.”
Denny Hamlin stopped Alex Bowman from doing burnouts at Martinsville in 2021. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/4txPI0TPNy
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 27, 2023
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