NSCS: Hamlin Scores Pole for Food City 500 at Bristol

Denny Hamlin broke the track record that his teammate, Kyle Busch, set in this race last year, for his 18^th career pole for Sunday’s 54^th annual Food City 500. Hamlin ran a fast time of 14.761 seconds, 129.991 mph. With 18 career poles in the Sprint Cup Series, it puts the driver from Virginia 38^th on the all-time list.

Brad Keselowski will start on the outside front row for his third time this season on Sunday afternoon. Keselowski ran a fast time of 129.965 mph, 14.764 seconds. He was just 0.003 seconds off of Hamlin’s fast time after making four total laps in the final round.

Matt Kenseth will start the event from third for his 12^th top-10 start at the 0.533-mile oval. It will be his second top-10 start of the 2014 Sprint Cup Series season. Kenseth’s fastest time came on his second lap of a 14.866 seconds, 129.073 mph. When the session concluded, he was 0.105 seconds off the pole sitter.

Two drivers will fail to qualify for the event, with those being David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. This will be the third time the No. 77 of Dave Blaney has failed to qualify for a race. During practice for the Duel 150’s at the Daytona International Speedway, Blaney got caught up into a crash and unfortunately had to withdraw because the team did not have a backup car.

Point’s leader, Dale Earnhardt Jr., will start Sunday in the 14^th position with a lap of 14.959 seconds, 128.271.