4LT GS Roadster
Martin took the pole position with an average
speed of 175.758mph.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Mark Martin beamed a clear signal Friday that he’s not yet ready to concede his lead in the Chase for the Sprint Cup to Jimmie Johnson.
Martin, the Chase leader after two races, won the pole for Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 at gusty Kansas Speedway with a speed of 175.758 mph. He’ll start his Chevy alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., who went around the 1.5-mile oval in 175.279.
Johnson, another Hendrick driver who created a sense of inevitability about his chances of winning a fourth straight Sprint Cup title when he dominated at Dover last week, starts 11th (174.627).
But Martin knows it’s not over, especially with how his car performed Friday.
“I would think that’s ridiculous,” Martin said. “We’re 20 percent into this Chase. We don’t know who the contenders are. I expect the 48 (Johnson) to be there. But it’s very early in the running.”
Martin, who has won five races and now has a career-high seven poles this season, leads the Chase standings by 10 points over Johnson.
“I’ve been driving really hard this year,” said Martin, who won at Kansas in 2005. “I’ve been pressing my luck.”
Another Hendrick driver, Brad Keselowski (175.205) starts third, with Jamie McMurray (175.200) joining him on the second row. Tony Stewart, who led the points standings heading into the Chase, starts fifth (175.041).
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