CUP: Truex Notches First Pole

Sprint Cup

CUP: Truex Notches First Pole

Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 presented by Hershey's Milk & Milkshakes at Dover International Speedway...

Mike Hembree | Posted May 14, 2010 Dover, DE

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, signs the wall in Victory Lane after qualifying for the pole position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)

Martin Truex Jr. is sneaking up on the Sprint Cup top 12, and he underlined that fact Friday.

LINK>QUALIFYING RESULTS: Dover 200 - DOVER

PDF >STARTING LINEUP BY ROW: Autism Speaks 400 - DOVER

Truex is 13th in Sprint Cup points, only 16 behind No. 12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the race for the final Chase for the Sprint Cup position. Truex has finishes of ninth, 12th and seventh in the past three races, and Friday he added a pole to his season’s work.

Truex led qualifying for Sunday’s Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway with a speed of 157.315 miles per hour in a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota.

A close second was Kasey Kahne, who ran 157.274.

Following in the top five were Mark Martin, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson, who had led practice earlier in the day.

“We’ve struggled a little with qualifying [his best start this year had been eighth], so today is a big day for us,” Truex said.

Sunday’s race, the 12th of the Sprint Cup season, is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m.

Failing to qualify Friday were Todd Bodine and Max Papis.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including "NASCAR: The Definitive History of America's Sport" and "Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told". He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Week • The Stars Come Out. The Gloves Come Off. • Saturday, May 22nd at 7 pm ET

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