By Brian WigginsÂ
When the Sprint Cup Series came to Michigan last weekend, Marcos Ambrose didn’t have a pole. Now, he has two in two weeks after taking the top starting spot for Sunday’s Toyota/ Save Mart 350 at Sonoma.
Ambrose was able to knock-off Jimmie Johnson for the pole, turning the only lap in the 95 mph bracket. Ambrose then held off Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., and Jeff Gordon to take his first pole at the California road course.
“I don’t know if I got it all, but I got a lot of it,” Ambrose said after winning the pole.
“I’m thrilled for my team. It takes a whole team to qualify on the pole two weeks in a row. But there’s a 100 mph split between the two. Last week was over 200 [mph], this week is under 100 [mph]. Both laps just as good as each other.
“I’ve been trying to get a pole for a long time, but now I’m getting greedy I have two in two weeks.”
Ambrose will start along-side Jeff Gordon, followed by; Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards are the top-10 starters for Sunday’s race.
On a track that’s difficult to pass, Ambrose will not only have the best view when the green flag drops, but his pit crew will have the best pit stall when it comes to that all important in-race strategy that is rampant on the road courses.
“It’s going to help us a lot. It’s manage our fuel mileage better for us, going to get us farther away from the pack.”
With only 44 cars entered for Sonoma, only one driver was forced to pack up following qualifying.
Inception Motorsports’ “road course ringer”, Brian Simo is the lone driver not to make the 43-car field for the Toyota/ Save Mart 350.
Toyota/ Save Mart 350 starting lineupÂ
1: Marcos Ambrose
2: Jeff Gordon
3: Jimmie Johnson
4: Greg Biffle
5: Martin Truex Jr.
6: Clint Bowyer
7: Kyle Busch
8: Kurt Busch
9: Matt Kenseth
10: Carl Edwards
11: Ryan Newman
12: Juan Pablo Montoya
13: Brad Keselowski
14: Joey Logano
15: Kasey Kahne
16: Denny Hamlin
17: A.J. Allmendinger
18: Bobby Labonte
19: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
20: Casey Mears
21: Brian Vickers
22: Scott Speed
23: Paul Menard
24: Tony Stewart
25: Jamie McMurray
26: Kevin Harvick
27: David Gilliland
28: Boris Said
29: David Ragan
30: Aric Almirola
31: Regan Smith
32: Dave Blaney
33: David Mayhew
34: Robby Gordon
35: Jeff Burton
36: Joe Nemechek
37: Chris Cook
38: J.J. Yeley
39: Travis Kvapil
40: Josh Wise
41: Tomy Drissi
42: Landon Cassill
43: Stephen Leicht
