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Martin Truex Jr. wins third pole of 2018 at Richmond

Martin Truex Jr., has won 11 poles since the beginning of the 2016 season. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
Martin Truex Jr., has won 11 poles since the beginning of the 2016 season. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)

Martin Truex Jr. continues to be fast.

The 2017 Cup Series champion posted the quickest lap of the third round of qualifying at Richmond on Friday and will start first for Saturday night’s Cup Series race at the 0.75-mile track.

The pole is Truex’s third of the season and the first of his career at Richmond. He’s never won a race at Richmond either and was one of the drivers infamously penalized in 2017 at the track for driving over the commitment box while entering pit road late in the race.

Truex has scored 11 pole positions since the beginning of the 2016 season. His first full-time season in the Cup Series came in 2006 and he’s got 18 poles overall.

Chase Elliott will start second. Hopefully his car doesn’t fail inspection at any point this weekend. Defending race winner Joey Logano starts third and Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson round out the top five. Here’s the entire starting lineup below.

1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Chase Elliott
3. Joey Logano
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Kyle Larson
6. Kurt Busch
7. Erik Jones
8. Jamie McMurray
9. William Byron
10. Kevin Harvick
11. Alex Bowman
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
13. Ryan Blaney
14. Ryan Newman
15. David Ragan
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Jimmie Johnson
18. Darrell Wallace Jr.
19. Chris Buescher
20. Paul Menard
21. Trevor Bayne
22. Daniel Hemric
23. Austin Dillon
24. Michael McDowell
25. Aric Almirola
26. Daniel Suarez
27. Matt DiBenedetto
28. Brad Keselowski
29. Kasey Kahne
30. Ross Chastain
31. Ty Dillon
32. Kyle Busch
33. AJ Allmendinger
34. Gray Gaulding
35. Cole Whitt
36. Landon Cassill
37. Reed Sorenson
38. Harrison Rhodes

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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