Mason Mitchell on pole for ModSpace 125

 Second-place points driver Mason Mitchell rocketed to the pole for Friday’s ARCA ModSpace 125 at Pocono Raceway.

Mitchell and Poole had identical speeds in qualifying, but the No. 98 team was higher up in owner points for the tiebreaker for Mitchell to score his first pole of 2014.

“We spent a few all-nighters getting ready and getting up here (to Pocono),” Mitchell said.  “We were fast in practice.  We tied for lap times, but it’ll make for a good race today.”

The 20-year-old driver nearly won last time out at Pocono after getting around Kyle Larson for the lead on a late restart before being passed back with three laps to go.

“We came here first time and finished second,” he said.  “Obviously we want one spot better and we brought a new car and think we can do better.”  

Poole is making his first ARCA start of the year Friday after Venturini Motorsports announced he would drive the No. 66 Toyota in three additional races later in the season.

“It came from all the guys from ‘The Identical Movie,’” Poole said of the deal.  “I’m just gonna go out there and do a good job and win the race. I’m here to win all four races and do the best I can.”

The Identical, starring Blake Rayne, Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd, will hit theaters on September 5.

Poole’s Venturini Motorsports teammate Justin Boston posted the third quickest time as the top four drivers broke the 168 mph barrier.

The fourth quickest driver in qualifying was rookie Michael Lira, making his first start at the Tricky Triangle.  Lira ran the Pocono ARCA test back in June in preparation for the ModSpace 125.

Justin Allison rounded out the top five with a speed of 167.367 mph.

There were two accidents during the session.  John Wes Townley hit the wall on his run and was transported to a local hospital for further observations.  The next car out, Karl Weber, then wrecked on his lap and was checked out of the infield care center.

The green flag for the ARCA ModSpace 125 will fall at 5:15 p.m. ET with TV coverage starting at 5 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.

ARCA ModSpace 125 Starting Lineup

1. #98 Mason Mitchell
2. #66 Brennan Poole
3. #25 Justin Boston
4. #68 Michael Lira
5. #88 Justin Allison
6. #90 Grant Enfinger
7. #69 Will Kimmel
8. #52 Matt Tifft
9. #77 Tom Hessert
10. #44 Frank Kimmel
11. #22 Austin Wayne Self
12. #86 Nick Igdalsky
13. #55 Cody Coughlin
14. #43 Kyle Martel
15. #2 Thomas Praytor
16. #18 Bill Catania
17. #97 Roger Carter
18. #20 Tom Berte
19. #03 Mike Affarano
20. #10 Ed Pompa
21. #7 Brent Cross
22. #48 Brad Smith
23. #0 James Swanson
24. #07 Brian Kaltreider
25. #40 Evan Pardo
26. #15 John Wes Townley
27. #3 Karl Weber
28. #06 Don Thompson
29. #5 Bobby Gerhart
30. #00 Tim Viens
31. #49 Wayne Peterson