Kyle Busch, Bowyer on Front Row for Martinsville Cup Race

MARTINSVILLE, VA – Hoping to reverse the outcome of this year’s spring race at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch took the first step on Saturday afternoon, winning the pole position for Sunday’s First Data 500, the first race in the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The race airs at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Busch navigated the .526-mile short track in 19.673 seconds (96.254 mph) in the final round of knockout qualifying to edge fellow title contender Clint Bowyer (96.122 mph) for the top starting position by .027 seconds.

The series leader entering the penultimate round of the Playoffs, Busch earned his fourth Busch Pole Award of the season, his third at Martinsville and the 31st of his career. But it was only a first step.

Now comes the business of trying to beat Bowyer, who nipped Busch by 1.146 seconds in the sixth race of the regular season. After taking the top spot from Busch on lap 387, Bowyer led the final 114 laps to seal the victory.

To start the process of swapping finishing positions with Bowyer, Busch claimed the No. 1 pit stall, the closest to the exit from pit road.

“Obviously, track position is important, but what’s more important is the opportunity to have that pit box,” Busch said. “That No. 1 pit box will hopefully do us good, we can have a great day, run up front much of the day and finish there, more importantly.

“Earlier this year, with Clint here, we were role-reversed, and hopefully we can keep it the way it is right now, this time 24 hours from now.”

With an average starting position of 14.0 this season, Bowyer was elated to put forth a strong effort in time trials.

“Good God, after the way I have been qualifying lately, it feels like I’m sitting on four poles,” said Bowyer, who enters the race tied for fifth in the series standings, facing a cut to the top four drivers two weeks hence at Phoenix. “We’re on the front row, man.

“When you won here in the spring, you know you have a shot. It is cool weather, kind of the same conditions. Obviously, it wasn’t the pole and Kyle was faster. Kyle is really good at laying laps down. I like the Sunday afternoon drives.”

Bowyer barely made it to the front row, edging Denny Hamlin (96.112 mph) for the second spot on the grid by .002 seconds. Ryan Blaney, who ran the fastest lap of time trials in the first round, qualified fourth, followed by playoff drivers Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch.

Joey Logano was 11th fastest in the final round. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender William Byron secured the 12th starting spot after bumping playoff driver Kevin Harvick to 13th with 23 seconds left in the second round.

Chase Elliott, a two-time winner in this year’s Playoffs, qualified 21st in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

With just under nine minutes left in the opening round, Bubba Wallace wheel-hopped the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet into Turn 3, spun into the outside wall and damaged the car beyond repair. Wallace will start from the rear of the field in a backup car.

Qualifying Results – 70th Annual First Data 500

1. (18) Kyle Busch (P) @, Toyota, 96.254 mph.

2. (14) Clint Bowyer (P) @, Ford, 96.122 mph.

3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 96.112 mph.

4. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 96.093 mph.

5. (10) Aric Almirola (P) @, Ford, 96.058 mph.

6. (78) Martin Truex Jr. (P) @, Toyota, 95.932 mph.

7. (41) Kurt Busch (P) @, Ford, 95.883 mph.

8. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 95.781 mph.

9. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 95.704 mph.

10. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 95.607 mph.

11. (22) Joey Logano (P) @, Ford, 95.516 mph.

12. (24) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 95.266 mph.

13. (4) Kevin Harvick (P) @, Ford, 95.530 mph.

14. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 95.472 mph.

15. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 95.444 mph.

16. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 95.434 mph.

17. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 95.352 mph.

18. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 95.323 mph.

19. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 95.208 mph.

20. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 95.184 mph.

21. (9) Chase Elliott (P) @, Chevrolet, 95.146 mph.

22. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 95.084 mph.

23. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 95.079 mph.

24. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 95.027 mph.

25. (15) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 95.165 mph.

26. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 95.132 mph.

27. (6) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 95.094 mph.

28. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 95.079 mph.

29. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 95.070 mph.

30. (95) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 94.960 mph.

31. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 94.411 mph.

32. (43) Bubba Wallace #, Chevrolet, 94.387 mph.

33. (96) DJ Kennington(i), Toyota, 93.919 mph.

34. (23) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 93.719 mph.

35. (00) Joey Gase(i), Chevrolet, 93.088 mph.

36. (51) Jeb Burton(i), Chevrolet, 92.878 mph.

37. (66) Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, 92.678 mph.

38. (7) Hermie Sadler III, Chevrolet, 92.497 mph.

39. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 90.000 mph.

40. (99) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.

by Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service