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Kyle Larson passes Bubba Wallace to win pole for Sunday’s race at Martinsville

Rod Mullins

nascar Six days after Bubba Wallace turned Kyle Larson with fewer than two laps left to bring out the final caution at Richmond and take a win from Martin Truex Jr., Larson edged Wallace for the pole of Sunday’s CookOut 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

“Of all people, it would be Larson — by a thousandth,” Wallace said after Larson’s lap flashed onto the scoreboard.

“Honestly, a bit unexpected,” replied Larson, who earned his second straight Busch Light Pole Award this season, his second at Martinsville and the 18th of his career. “I knew we’d be good, but that second lap (in the final round) didn’t feel that good. It was just enough, though. Really cool to get this 40th anniversary Hendrick Camaro on the pole.

“It seems like all four Hendrick cars are really good, too, so hopefully it’s a good day for the organization.”

Hendrick teammate, Chase Elliott, qualified third at 95.869 mph, with Alex Bowman taking the 10th starting spot. William Byron failed to make the final round and will take the green flag in 18th.

It was just a part of a 40th anniversary weekend for Hendrick Motorsports, as they celebrate  this weekend with special paint schemes,

Larson was the last driver to make a qualifying run in the final round, posted a lap at 96.034 mph (19.718 seconds) to edge Wallace (96.029 mph) for the top starting spot by 0.001 seconds.

Truex (95.864 mph) claimed the fourth spot on the grid, followed by Ford drivers Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano and Josh Berry. Last week’s Richmond winner, Denny Hamlin, reigning series champion Ryan Blaney and Bowman will start eighth through 10th, respectively.

Rod Mullins

Rod Mullins

Rod Mullins covers NASCAR for AFP, and co-hosts the mid-week “Street Knowledge” focusing on NASCAR with AFP editor Chris Graham. A graduate of UVA-Wise, Rod began his career in journalism as a reporter for The Cumberland Times, later became the program director/news director/on-air morning show host for WNVA in Norton, Va., and in the early 1990s served as the sports information director at UVA-Wise and was the radio “Voice of the Highland Cavaliers” for football and basketball for seven seasons. In 1995, Rod transitioned to public education, where he has worked as a high school English, literature, and creative writing teacher and now serves as a school program coordinator in addition to serving as a mentor for the robotics team.