Denny Hamlin put his No. 11 Toyota on the pole for Sunday’s Cup Series All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, turning a lap in 1 minute, 49.298 seconds during NASCAR’s unique single-car qualifying session Saturday afternoon.
Hamlin beat Brad Keselowski by 0.144 seconds to claim the top starting spot for the 350-lap race around the four-turn, 1.0-mile oval. Keselowski will line up beside him on the front row in the No. 6 Ford, with Erik Jones set to start third.
The qualifying format mixed a full lap, a pit stop challenge and a race back to the checkered flag to complete the three-lap attempt, giving the session a different feel from a normal time trial. It also set the field for a race that already had 19 drivers locked into the 200-lap third and final segment before the green flag.
Six more drivers are still set to earn their way in through the first two 75-lap segments, and one additional driver will advance through the NASCAR Fan Vote. After four decades, there is no longer an All-Star Open, a change that leaves Dover’s weekend with a smaller path into the main event.
For Hamlin, the pole adds another layer to a race that is already drawing attention for its format as much as its field. The race is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and the opening track position gives him the first shot at controlling the pace when the cars roll off for the special event.
