Darlington Cup Series starting lineup: Martin Truex Jr. wins pole

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Martin Truex Jr. posted a speed of 169.409 miles per hour Saturday to win the pole for Sunday’s 400-mile NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Second Saturday was Bubba Wallace, who ran 169.339.

Also starting in the top five Sunday will be Ricky Stenhouse Jr., William Byron and Ross Chastain.

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Martin Truex Jr. won the pole Saturday for Sunday’s 400-mile NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Truex turned a lap at 169.409 miles per hour in afternoon qualifying. He edged Bubba Wallace, who was second at 169.339. The pole is Truex’s first this season and first at Darlington.

Following in the top five were Ricky Stenhouse Jr., William Byron and Ross Chastain.

Stenhouse and Chastain will be starting in the top five at Darlington for the first time.

Chase Elliott was fastest in morning practice but qualified 21st.

The Cup Series hits the halfway mark of the 26-race regular season Sunday at Darlington Raceway. The pressure will be build on drivers to win and earn a spot in the playoffs.

The focus Sunday will be winning at one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks. Four drivers finished in the top 10 in both Darlington races last year: Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Michael McDowell.

Denny Hamlin has the best average finish at Darlington (7.48) among drivers with more than two starts there. Kyle Larson is next with an average finish of 9.2.

START: Members of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers will give the command to start engines at 3:02 p.m. … The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:12 p.m.

PRERACE: Cup garage opens at noon. … Drivers meeting is at 2:05 p.m. … Driver intros are at 2:25 p.m. … Susan Chastain, mother of Cup driver Ross Chastain, will give the invocation at