Johnson wins Martinsville pole

It shouldn’t come as a shock, but Jimmie Johnson is once again fast at Martinsville Speedway.

The seven-time winner at the half-mile track broke the previous track record during Friday’s qualifying session to win the pole for Sunday’s STP Gas Booster 500.

Johnson’s qualifying lap of 98.400 mph edged Marcos Ambrose who held the top-spot throughout the majority of the session.

“Car was fast right off the truck,” said Johnson. “I’m happy I was able to do my part and back it up in qualifying and got us the pole.”

This is Johnson’s first pole of the 2013 season and his third time winning the award at Martinsville Speedway.

Johnson’s former teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, Mark Martin (who is subbing for the injured Denny Hamlin), qualified the No.11 Toyota in the thirty-fifth position for Sunday’s race.

Friday was the first time Martin had competed at Martinsville Speedway, a track he has won twice, since 2011 when he finished twenty-eighth.

Sprint Cup Series points leader, Dale Earnhardt Jr., qualified his Chevrolet in seventeenth.

Mike Bliss was the only driver to fail to qualify for the race.

Johnson, Ambrose, Brian Vickers, Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and defending race winner Ryan Newman make up the top-10 starters for Sunday’s race.

STP Gas Booster 500 Starting Lineup