Regardless of the gorgeous lawsuit, Michael McDowell mentioned he and his Entrance Row Motorsports (FRM) crew have been “laser-focused” heading into Talladega. The veteran driver had zero Cup poles in his earlier 15 years of competitors, however now has six poles this 12 months alone — greater than every other driver in the course of the 2024 season. It was an all-Ford entrance row with Staff Penske’s Austin Cindric qualifying second, main all playoff drivers.
“It is simply superb,” mentioned McDowell. “I am simply so happy with everyone on this No. 34 Ford Mustang crew. It is onerous to come back down right here and get the pole. We discovered some issues within the low season. Went to Daytona and it labored and we simply stored that momentum going. Actually proud. We got here right here with a recreation plan and the sport plan was to sit down on the pole, and we did that as we speak. That ought to put us within the lead for essentially the most poles of the 12 months. That is one thing we had circled.
McDowell almost gained his method into the playoffs earlier this 12 months at Talladega, crashing from the lead simply in need of the end line. “We had the automotive to win right here final (time) too,” continued McDowell. “We would have liked about 400 extra yards to get to the checkered flag so hopefully tomorrow goes smoother than that. But it surely’s nice to have a quick Ford Mustang. Thanks to Doug Yates and everyone at Roush-Yates engine store.
His 52.310s lap was even sooner than his time from the primary spherical and two full tenths away from the competitors. Cindric was 0.201s behind, and simply to place that in perspective, simply over two tenths is what separated the remaining 9 drivers within the closing spherical of qualifying.
McDowell and Cindric are adopted by Todd Gilliland and Kyle Busch on the beginning grid with Ryan Blaney fifth, Joey Logano sixth, Austin Dillon seventh, Denny Hamlin eighth, Harrison Burton ninth, and Daniel Hemric tenth (Hemric’s finest begin of the 12 months).
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Spherical 1
McDowell was additionally quickest within the first spherical with a 52.344s lap as one among six Ford drivers who superior into the pole spherical. Daniel Hemric was the tenth and closing driver to maneuver ahead, beating Chase Elliott by 0.043s on the velocity charts.
Elliott will begin eleventh and he’s one among a number of playoff drivers beginning outdoors the top-ten. Kyle Larson begins twelfth, Tyler Reddick 14th, William Byron sixteenth, Christopher Bell twenty first, Alex Bowman twenty third, Daniel Suarez thirty first, and Chase Briscoe thirty sixth.
Ross Chastain is not within the playoffs, however he’s the latest winner after his victory at Kansas. The Trackhouse driver can be a former winner at Talladega, however certified twenty seventh for Sunday’s race.
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