NNS: Stenhouse Captures Richmond Pole

Nationwide

NNS: Stenhouse Captures Richmond Pole

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion…

Tom Jensen | Posted September 07, 2012 Richmond, VA

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start from the pole for tonight’s Virginia 529 College Savings "250" NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo: SPEED)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the pole for tonight’s Virginia 529 College Savings "250" NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

Stenhouse, the defending NNS champion, lapped the 0.75-mile oval at 122.822 miles per hour in his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford to win his eighth career pole in 98 series starts.

Austin Dillon had a great lap of 122.294 mph in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, a time identical to teammate Kevin Harvick. Dillon will start second with Harvick third. Sam Hornish Jr. was fourth in his Penske Racing Dodge, followed by Travis Pastrana in a second Roush Ford.

Denny Hamlin, who grew up 15 miles from RIR, qualified sixth at 121.797 mph in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

With 24 races in the books, Elliott Sadler leads the NNS points by 12 over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Sam Hornish Jr. (-32) and Austin Dillon (-34) follow.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.

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