From Dustin Long / NBC Sports
Kyle Larson will start on the pole for Sunday’s Cup race at Sonoma Raceway and be joined on the front row by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott for the second year in a row at the 1.99-mile road course.
Last year, Kyle Larson won the race after winning the pole, and Chase Elliott finished second after starting second Only once in the last five Cup races at Sonoma has the winner come from a starting spot outside the top 10.
The pole for Larson is his second of the season and 12th of his Cup career. This is Larson’s fourth pole at Sonoma, tying him with Ricky Rudd for second on the track’s all-time pole list. Jeff Gordon has a record five poles there. Larson qualified at 92.111 mph. Elliott qualified at 92.083 mph.
Chris Buescher, who missed last weekend’s race at Gateway after testing positive for COVID-19, will start third after a lap of 91.919 mph. It is the best road course start in his Cup career.
Michael McDowell (91.916 mph) qualified fourth. Tyler Reddick (91.821) completed the top five. Cole Custer (91.764) qualified sixth. Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain (91.685) and Daniel Suarez (91.672) will occupy the fourth row. Chastain qualified seventh. Suarez qualified eighth. Joey Logano (91.522) will start ninth, and Denny Hamlin (91.244) completes the top 10.
Cody Ware starts last in the 36-car field after he was not allowed to qualify because his Rick Ware Racing car failed inspection four times. It is an L1 penalty and the team could face a fine and/or deduction of points. Engineer Steve Gray was ejected. Ware must pass through pit road after taking the green at the start of the race.
The green flag is scheduled to wave at 4:14 p.m. ET Sunday on FS1.
See the full story from NBC Sports:
See the full qualifying results:
Larson surprised at the pole, see the video:
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