Erik Jones captures pole for Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race

(Photo Credit: Chris Tello / The SkyBoat)

Written by Craig Balog

Bristol, TN- Rookie Erik Jones captured his first ever pole in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Friday evening. Here’s how it all went down in the three rounds of qualifying.

It was a slow start to the 57th Annual Bass Pro Shops NRA night race qualifying. Rain
played a factor in the beginning causing a delay due to a wet track. As the rain
stopped and the clouds opened up, the majority of the drivers waited until there was about seven minutes left in the first round to start their qualifying run. Kyle Bush won the first round with the fastest lap on the track continuing his dominance. Denny
Hamlin qualified 2nd and Chase Elliot coming in third. Danica Patrick rounded out the
top 24 advancing to round 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not advance.

Denny Hamlin took the second round with a lap time of 14.917 and Martin Truex Jr.
closed it out taking the 12 th and final spot going into the third round. In a shocking
turn of events, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Bush failed to advance to the third and final
round.

In the third and final round of qualifying Erik Jones won the pole position with a
14.981 time. Kyle Larson will line up next to Jones in row 1 for Saturday’s night race.
Rounding out the top 5 Kasey Kane, Chase Elliot, and Matt Kenseth. The drivers will
battle it out at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night at 7:45pm ET at the world’s
fastest half mile.