For the second time in 2012, Austin Dillon will start on the pole after winning the top spot in qualifying for Friday night’s Feed the Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway.
Dillon, who was the forty-third of 44 drivers to take time, won the pole with a lap of 172.119 mph on the slick Kentucky Speedway.
“First lap I over-drove just a little bit,” said Dillon to the Speed crew after his lap. “Getting into [turn] one, I chattered the tires just a little bit.
“Second lap I was kind of worried because we were slower all day on the second lap. Ended up working out for us.”
Dillon was able to knock-off his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Kevin Harvick, for the top spot.
The pole marks the first time the 22-year-old will start from the top spot at the Kentucky Speedway in his young NASCAR Nationwide Series career.
Slick track conditions due to the excessive heat forced numerous drivers to struggle to find the all important grip needed to turn an all-out lap needed to place high on the qualifying sheet.
“The good thing is, we’ve been tight the whole weekend so the track should just come to us,” continued Dillon. “As the track cools down, it should get the tires turning.”
Rounding out the top-10 starters for the race will be; Brad Keselowski, Sam Hornish Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Denny Hamlin, Justin Allgaier, Kurt Busch, Michael Annett, and Cole Whitt.
With only 44 cars attempting to qualifying, one driver missed the starting field.
After a lazy spin in turn four on his first qualifying lap, John Jackson was never able to recover and missed the starting field.
Feed the Children 300 Starting Lineup:
1: Austin Dillon
2: Kevin Harvick
3: Brad Keselowski
4: Sam Hornish Jr.
5: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
6: Denny Hamlin
7: Justin Allgaier
8: Kurt Busch
9: Michael Annett
10: Cole Whitt
11: Danica Patrick
12: Elliott Sadler
13: James Buescher
14: Ryan Blaney
15: Brian Scott
16: Jamie Dick
17: Mike Bliss
18: Josh Richards
19: Jason Bowles
20: Brad Sweet
21: Jeremy Clements
22: Scott Speed
23: Tanner Berryhill
24: Joe Nemechek
25: Reed Sorenson
26: Kenny Wallace
27: Danny Efland
28: Jeff Green
29: Scott Riggs
30: Timmy Hill
31: Chase Miller
32: Tim Andrews
33: Tayler Malsam
34: Mike Wallace
35: Erik Darnell
36: Morgan Shepard
37: TJ Bell
38: Josh Wise
39: Kevin Lepage
40: Eric McClure
41: Jamie Mosley
42: Johanna Long
43: Blake Koch
