Johnson wins pole at Martinsville, starting lineup for Tums 500

Jimmie Johnson is one of the best at Martinsville. On Sunday the six time winner at the track will start from the pole as the seventh race in the 2012 NASCAR Chase gets underway. This is Johnson’s third pole of the season.

Denny Hamlin, third in the points, is a four time winner at ‘the paperclip’ and will start fifth.  Series points leader Brad Keselowski did not have a good qualifying lap and will start 32nd.

Johnson said he was not going to count out Keselowski though, and that “It would be foolish for me to sit here and think they’re not going to race their way through. …” and that he would probably have a tough time on pit road with their pit stall pick.

Johnson ran his fast lap of 97.598, edging out Brian Vickers who is making his final start of the 2012 season.

Other notables in field include Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer. Gordon is a seven time winner and will be looking to add his eighth grandfather clock. Bowyer who remains in striking distance of the championship will start eighth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his return to the Cup series after missing races at Charlotte and Kansas. AJ Allmendinger stays in the No. 51 car of Phoenix Racing while last weekends winner Matt Kenseth tries for his third win in the Chase.

Mike Bliss and JJ Yeley failed to make the race.

Complete Line Up Below

1. #48 Jimmie Johnson
2. #55 Brian Vickers
3. #18 Kyle Busch
4. #31 Jeff Burton
5. #11 Denny Hamlin
6. #17 Matt Kenseth
7. #14 Tony Stewart
8. #15 Clint Bowyer
9. #27 Paul Menard
10. #43 Aric Almirola
11 #24 Jeff Gordon
12. #56 Martin Truex Jr.
13. #29 Kevin Harvick
14. #20 Joey Logano
15. #5 Kasey Kahne
16 #34 David Ragan
17. #39 Ryan Newman
18. #47 Bobby Labonte
19. #78 Kurt Busch
20. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
21. #98 Michael McDowell
22. #13 Casey Mears
23. #99 Carl Edwards
24. #1 Jamie McMurray
25. #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
26. #51 AJ Allmendinger
27. #22 Sam Hornish Jr.
28. #32 Ken Schrader
29. #10 David Reutimann
30. #16 Greg Biffle
31 #26 Josh Wise
32. #2 Brad Keselowski
33 #9 Marcos Ambrose
34. #83 Landon Cassill
35. #38 David Gilliland
36. #23 Scott Riggs
37. #36 Dave Blaney
38. #87 joe Nemechek
39. #91 Reed Sorenson
40. #30 David Stremme
41. #93 Travis Kvapil
42. #33 Stephen Leicht
43. #95 Scott Speed

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