Johnson, Gordon, Martin qualify in top 12 for Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Jimmie Johnson led his Hendrick Motorsports teammates in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and picked up the third-place starting position. Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. round out the top 22.

During his nine previous starts at the 2.5-mile oval, Johnson has won three times and owns three top-five finishes and four top-10s. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet won the Brickyard 400 in 2006 and 2008 when he started inside the top five, and again in 2009 when he started 16th.

Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, will start eighth for the 400-mile event. Gordon has made 17 starts at Indianapolis and won four times there, the most of any Cup driver at the track. Gordon has started inside the top 10 at Indianapolis eight times and has scored nine top-five finishes and 13 top-10s  

Martin will roll off the grid 12th in his No. 5 Quaker State/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet. Martin is one of just four Cup drivers, along with Gordon, who have competed in all 17 Sprint Cup series races at Indianapolis. The veteran driver has scored six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s at the legendary speedway. 

Earnhardt earned a 22nd-place starting spot for Sunday’s race. The driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet has scored two top-10 finishes and led 54 laps during his previous 11 Cup starts at the 160-lap event.

On Sunday, watch the Hendrick Motorsports teammates compete in the Brickyard 400 at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.