He claimed he didn't need a cloud, as the other drivers pinned hopes of fast laps on a 40-second weather window, as so it proved to be as Mark Martin's Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet cast a shadow in the Virginian afternoon on his way to a potentially decisive pole position.
“It's awesome,” said a surprised Martin, who expected a fifth place start at best before speaking highly of his team for giving him a “stellar car.”
Martin, the 19th driver who posted a time, bettered the lap of Martin Truex Jr, who will join him on the front row, in a repeat of the seasoning opening Daytona 500 (albeit the other way around). Behind them will be two of the four drivers' already cemented in the chase, with local favourite Denny Hamlin ahead of defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.
Hamlin who led 381 of 400 laps in 2008's Richmond spring race and 148 earlier this year is still to record his first Cup Series victory at the track says this weekend would be perfect time to start. “it would definitely be big,” he said adding that a crucial win before The Chase “would have us puffing our chest out pretty big”.
Competition between the 'go or go home' drivers having to qualify on speed was thin with only nine drivers fighting over the eight available spots. And the unlucky man was veteran Tony Raines, who's fastest lap fell over a tenth short of next slowest man Max Papis' effort.
Martin's pole, his sixth of the season, is a big step towards a place in the season ending chase. To guarantee himself a chance at the title Martin needs to finish 12th or higher in Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400. However top starting spot moves him a step closer to an all important five bonus points, and only having to finish 14th.
Looking the other way in The Chase must be Roush-Fenway Racing. While Carl Edwards, still driving with a broken foot qualified 10th fastest, drivers Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, both less secure in the top 12, will start 24th and 28th respectively.
Meanwhile, the only two drivers with a realistic chance of making The Chase from outside it fared far better, with Brian Vickers due to line up sixth ahead of Kyle Busch in eighth – places that would put him in the Chase at the Roush duo's expense if they repeated themselves after 400 laps on Saturday. Both Toyota drivers are, of course, hopeful of that happening with Vickers pinning his hopes on a good long run package, saying “we'll find out soon enough”.
Find out as the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 gets underway, with the green flag shortly after 7:30pm (local time) Saturday.
Pos Driver Make Speed Time 1. Mark Martin Chevrolet 126.808 21.292 2. Martin Truex Jr Chevrolet 126.731 21.305 + 0.013 3. Denny Hamlin Toyota 126.630 21.322 + 0.030 4. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 126.541 21.337 + 0.045 5. Kasey Kahne Dodge 126.452 21.352 + 0.060 6. Brian Vickers Toyota 126.251 21.386 + 0.094 7. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 125.992 21.430 + 0.138 8. Kyle Busch Toyota 125.962 21.435 + 0.143 9. Brad Keselowski Chevrolet 125.921 21.442 + 0.150 10. Carl Edwards Ford 125.786 21.465 + 0.173 11. Reed Sorenson Dodge 125.769 21.468 + 0.176 12. David Stremme Dodge 125.763 21.469 + 0.177 13. Kurt Busch Dodge 125.581 21.500 + 0.208 14. Juan Montoya Chevrolet 125.570 21.502 + 0.210 15. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 125.564 21.503 + 0.211 16. Marcos Ambrose Toyota 125.552 21.505 + 0.213 17. AJ Allmendinger Dodge 125.506 21.513 + 0.221 18. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 125.482 21.517 + 0.225 19. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 125.476 21.518 + 0.226 20. Scott Speed Toyota 125.418 21.528 + 0.236 21. Ryan Newman Chevrolet 125.331 21.543 + 0.251 22. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 125.290 21.550 + 0.258 23. David Reutimann Toyota 125.174 21.570 + 0.278 24. Greg Biffle Ford 125.156 21.573 + 0.281 25. Jamie McMurray Ford 125.139 21.576 + 0.284 26. David Ragan Ford 124.954 21.608 + 0.316 27. Joey Logano Toyota 124.781 21.638 + 0.346 28. Matt Kenseth Ford 124.694 21.653 + 0.361 29. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 124.625 21.665 + 0.373 30. David Gilliland Toyota 124.521 21.683 + 0.391 31. Mike Bliss Chevrolet 124.458 21.694 + 0.402 32. Dave Blaney Toyota 124.372 21.709 + 0.417 33. Sam Hornish Jr Dodge 124.218 21.736 + 0.444 34. Elliott Sadler Dodge 123.967 21.780 + 0.488 35. Regan Smith Chevrolet 123.944 21.784 + 0.492 36. Joe Nemechek Toyota 123.893 21.793 + 0.501 37. Bobby Labonte Ford 123.694 21.828 + 0.536 38. Casey Mears Chevrolet 123.683 21.830 + 0.538 39. John Andretti Chevrolet 123.581 21.848 + 0.556 40. Michael Waltrip Toyota 123.446 21.872 + 0.580 41. Michael McDowell Toyota 123.125 21.929 + 0.637 42. Paul Menard Ford 123.080 21.937 + 0.645 43. Max Papis Toyota 122.772 21.992 + 0.700
