MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Kyle Larson scored the pole position for the second straight weekend in Virginia ahead of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race. This time, he narrowly edged out Bubba Wallace by 0.001 seconds to secure the top starting spot at Martinsville Speedway.
Larson's pole is the 249th pole position for Hendrick Motorsports and the third in a row for the team. The organization is now one pole position away from 250 in the Cup Series (the most among all teams). This one comes on the team's 40th anniversary weekend, celebrating its first win in the Cup Series at Martinsville on April 29, 1984, with driver Geoff Bodine.
"Honestly, that was a bit unexpected. That second lap didn't feel that great. It was just enough, though," Larson told FOX Sports' 1's Jamie Little. "Really cool to get this 40th Anniversary HendrickCars.com Camaro on the pole. It seems all four Hendrick (Motorsports) cars are really good.
"Hopefully, it's a good day for the organization and can be celebrated for Rick and Linda (Hendrick) and everybody who has been a part of this organization for 40 years. The number one pit stall is going to be great. I just got to execute a good race."
PHOTOS: Scenes from Larson's second straight pole position
Larson was the fastest in the opening round of group qualifying and then backed it up in the final round (96.034 mph) for his 18th career Cup Series pole and his second at Martinsville. He also posted the best 25- and 30-lap consecutive averages in practice.
The 31-year-old driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com 40th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is the defending race winner at the paperclip-shaped track. In 18 starts, he has four top-five finishes and six top-10s, with three consecutive top-six finishes. Over Larson's last nine points-paying short-track starts, he has two wins, a series-best average finish (4.89) and is tied for the most runner-up finishes (two), top-fives (seven) and top 10s (eight). Larson has four short-track wins with three coming at Hendrick Motorsports.
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Chase Elliott will take the starting grid from the third position (95.869 mph) in the No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This is Elliott's fourth top-five starting spot in the past five races and the fifth straight weekend he has reached the final round of group qualifying. On the season, the 28-year-old driver's pair of top-10 runs have both come at short tracks – Bristol Motor Speedway (eighth) and Richmond Raceway (fifth). In 17 starts at Martinsville, he has one win (fall of 2020 for his only short-track win), five top-five finishes, 10 top-10s and it is the only track where he has led over 1,000 laps – 1,040 to be exact.
Alex Bowman lines up 10th in the No. 48 Ally 40th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. For the second consecutive weekend, Bowman reached the final round of group qualifying. In practice, he was the fourth fastest and was in the top three for 25-lap (second) and 30-lap consecutive averages (third). Over 15 starts at Martinsville, the 30-year-old driver has one win (fall of 2021), one top-five result, and four top-10s. He has two short-track wins in his career at Hendrick Motorsports.
William Byron will take the green flag from the 18th position in the No. 24 Axalta 40th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. In practice, he was sixth on the speed chart, led all drivers in the 15-lap consecutive average category and was second in the 20-lap consecutive average. Byron won at Martinsville in the spring of 2022 (his lone short-track win in the Cup Series) and has four top-fives and six top-10s in 12 starts at the short track. The 26-year-old driver is one of two to record multiple victories this season.
PHOTOS: See the ruby red paint schemes, firesuits and more from the weekend
The Rick Hendrick-owned team is sporting ruby red paint schemes to honor its first win at the 0.526-mile track. Hendrick has previously said that the team would have had to close its doors without that victory. Now, the organization is the most decorated in NASCAR, with a series-best 304 Cup Series wins and 14 championships.
"I don't think probably any of us four drivers feel any more pressure to win," Larson said on the significance of this particular weekend at Martinsville to the organization. "We know what the magnitude of a win this weekend would mean for the company."
Martinsville has a significant place in the history of Hendrick Motorsports. The team's 28 wins at the short track are the most by any team at any track on the circuit. Team vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each won nine times there, while Darrell Waltrip earned four victories for the squad. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bodine, Bowman, Byron, Elliott and Larson all have one win at the Virginia venue. It is the only track where the current driver lineup has all won. The team has crossed 10,000 laps led at Martinsville – leading 10,614 – and is the only team to have led over 10,000 laps at any track.
PHOTOS: See every Hendrick Motorsports win at Martinsville
Watch the 400-lap race on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
