Martin leads Hendrick assault in Talladega qualifying

Martin leads Hendrick assault in Talladega qualifying

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(October 22, 2011)

 

TALLADEGA, Ala.—If Sunday’s Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega Superspeedway goes the same way Saturday’s qualifying session did, Rick Hendrick should have an excellent chance to pick up his 200th Sprint Cup victory.

 

Mark Martin paced four Hendrick cars in the top six starting spots, posting a lap of 181.367 mph (52.799 seconds) to win the pole for the sixth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Martin narrowly edged teammate and five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (181.360 mph) by two thousandths of a second.

 

The Coors Light pole award was Martins’ second of the season and the 51st of his career, eighth on the all-time list.

 

Daytona 500 winner and Ford driver Trevor Bayne (181.011 mph) qualified fourth as the only non-Chevrolet driver in the top seven. Clint Bowyer will start third after a lap at 181.243 mph. Jeff Gordon (180.918 mph) qualified fifth, followed by Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. (180.905 mph).

 

Chase leader Carl Edwards will start ninth.