For one afternoon at least, Matt Kenseth changed the conversation about Joe Gibbs Racing’s early season problems by winning the pole for the Toyota Owners 400.
Kenseth won his first pole of 2017 with a speed of 121.076 mph around Richmond International Raceway. It’s also the first pole for Toyota this season.
It’s Kenseth’s 19th Cup pole and his second at the .75-mile track (spring 2013). Kenseth’s previous best start this season was fourth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Those guys did really a job adjusting between rounds,” Kenseth told Fox Sports 1. “We had enough speed in out Circle K Camry that we only had to do one lap in each of the first two rounds to get into the third round. ... This year has not been a good year for us, obviously so far. ... We haven’t been getting any stage points, we’re buried in the points back there. We finally got a decent finish last week (at Bristol).
“Hopefully this week we can start up front, stay up front and collect some stage points.”
Kenseth will try to extend JGR’s win streak at Richmond to four races.
Ryan Blaney qualified second with a speed of 120.854 mph.
“The last lap of the last section we moved up (the track),” Blaney told FS1. “I wish I had done it both laps of the last session. so I knew how hard to go. I was in there little bit shallow the second lap and I knew I regretted it right away ... I guess a bunch other cars did that and they picked up. I don’t know where (Kenseth) ran. It was a solid effort.”
It will be Blaney’s third start from second this season, which is a fact that annoys the sophomore driver in the No. 21 Ford.
“I really want to race the Clash at Daytona, that’s like my biggest thing right now,” Blaney said. “It’s upsetting me that we can’t get a pole.”
Filling out the top five for Sunday’s race is Martin Truex Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano.
In his first race since announce his retirement following this season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 12th.
Other notable starting spots: Chase Elliott (14th) Brad Keselowski (15th), Denny Hamlin (16th) Jimmie Johnson (17th) and Kyle Larson (18th).
Austin Dillon will start last as a penalty for failing pre-race laser inspection five times last week at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Click here for full qualifying results.