Team Penske Locks Out EchoPark Front Row as Blaney Wins Pole at 179.912 mph
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jul 11
Team Penske Locks Out EchoPark Front Row as Blaney Wins Pole at 179.912 mph
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 11
Summary
Ryan Blaney took the pole for Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup race at EchoPark Speedway with a 30.815-second lap at 179.912 mph, edging Team Penske teammate Joey Logano for a Ford sweep of the front row.
Logano qualified second at 30.851 seconds and 179.702 mph, giving Penske two drafting partners up front on a track where Blaney said Ford drivers can work together if they get organized.
Kyle Larson qualified third, followed by Austin Dillon and Daniel Suarez, while Hendrick teammates Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott lined up sixth and seventh.
Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick — first and second in the Cup points standings — start deep in the field at 28th and 31st for 23XI Racing, though Blaney said the Toyotas were strong in the spring race.
Reddick won at EchoPark on Feb. 22, and Elliott returns to his home track as the defending winner of last summer’s race near Atlanta.