McMurray repeats pole run at Fontana

McMurray repeats pole run at Fontana

FONTANA, Calif.—Jamie McMurray’s phenomenal season regained momentum Friday, as the driver of the No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet earned his second Coors Light Pole Award of the year at Auto Club Speedway.
McMurray streaked around the 2-mile track in 38.859 seconds (185.285 mph) to win his fourth pole of the season and the seventh of his career. Elliott Sadler (184.407 mph) claimed the second starting position for Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400.
Third-place qualifier Matt Kenseth (184.096 mph), whose last NASCAR Sprint Cup win came at Fontana in February 2009, was the only Chase driver in the top five. McMurray’s teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya (184.068 mph) claimed the fourth spot on the grid, followed Kasey Kahne (183.964 mph).
McMurray believes the power in his Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines has made a difference this year.
“I think the ECR engines have a lot of power, and you’re able to show that on Friday more than even in the race, because you’re really able to put the power down in qualifying,” said McMurray, the winner of the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.
“A little bit is cars, a little bit is engines, a little bit is the team putting maybe a little more focus—our guys work really hard, not necessarily on the qualifying setup, but everything that goes into qualifying, making the cars as light as you can and so many little tricks that you’re able to do. Not all the teams do that to the fullest level.”
Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle, Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano will start from positions six through 10, respectively.
Kenseth, Biffle and Johnson are the only three Chase drivers in the top 12. Of the other Chasers, Clint Bowyer will start 13th, Jeff Burton 15th, Kyle Busch 16th, Jeff Gordon 17th, Carl Edwards 20th, Kevin Harvick 21st, Tony Stewart 22nd, Denny Hamlin 34th and Kurt Busch 38th.
Hamlin, who trails Johnson by eight points, will be searching for speed during Saturday’s two Cup practice sessions.
Asked what he needed to improve the performance of the No. 11 Toyota, Hamlin said, “Get faster. We don’t know yet—not until (Saturday).”
Bobby Labonte claimed the final starting position on a past champion’s provisional. Mike Bliss and Patrick Carpentier failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
(October 8, 2010)