CONCORD, N.C. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Audio and photo by Race Chaser Online Northeast Correspondent Kyle Magda —
Look out, Truck racers. Kasey Kahne is back.
Kahne, behind the wheel of the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet Silverado for JR Motorsports, laid down a blistering lap of 181.342 mph during NASCAR Camping World Truck Series knockout qualifying to claim his first career Keystone Light Pole Award ahead of tonight’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“It worked out for us, I don’t really know how,” Kahne laughed after scoring his first career NCWTS pole. “We were really good in turns one and two. Got behind the 05 (John Wes Townley) and that slowed us up a little bit, but we’ve got a fast JR Motorsports Silverado and I’m looking forward to tonight.”
“We got one pole [finally], so I guess we’re done now,” Kahne added jokingly, in reference to waiting 11 years to score his first Truck pole. Kahne will be looking for his fifth career Truck series victory in just his sixth start tonight.
Rookie superstar Erik Jones continued his stellar run of qualifying with the second-fastest lap (181.008 mph) in the final round — the only other driver to crack the 181-mph barrier in the final round.
“It’s never easy in this deal,” said Jones, who laid down an early fast lap before being overhauled in the draft. “It’s really a shame that it’s got to be like that. We got pretty close to getting it, unfortunately the 88 (Crafton) got a little free off of turn four and that kind of slowed us up. Pretty close, we had the truck capable of doing it, but we’ve got a good Dollar General Tundra and we’re ready to go tonight.”
Jones starts from the front row for the second straight race after winning the pole last time out at Kansas.
Jones’ fellow rookie teammate, Matt Tifft, will roll off third in his first start at the controls of the always-potent Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 ToyotaCare Tundra. 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Daniel Hemric rounded out the fast five.
Scott Lagasse Jr., Tyler Reddick, Ray Black Jr., Matt Crafton and Ben Kennedy made up the balance of the top ten, with John Wes Townley and Korbin Forrister the final two cars to make it to the last round of knockout qualifying.
Black and Forrister made it a banner day for SS Green Light Racing, with both trucks advancing to the final round of qualifying for the first time in the team’s history since the new format was implemented.
Reddick topped the opening round of knockout qualifying (180.717 mph) ahead of Jones and Spencer Gallagher, while Tifft led session two over Reddick and Jones.
Round two of qualifying also saw two separate incidents during the session.
The first came with 5:46 to go in the round when Kyle Busch Motorsports rookie Justin Boston got loose exiting turn four and spun through the infield grass on the frontstretch. Boston will start 22nd on the grid for tonight’s 134-lap event.
Crash number two broke out coming to the conclusion of the ten-minute clock, when Gallagher lost his No. 23 Chevrolet off the exit of turn four and lightly caught the outside SAFER Barrier. The spin drew the red and black flags just before Cameron Hayley, David Gilliland and others could complete their flying laps.
Hayley was the first driver to miss the cut for the final round in 13th.
Todd Peck, Ryan Ellis and Brandon Brown were the three drivers who missed the 32-car field.
The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 takes the green flag tonight at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 and the Motor Racing Network.
Audio with second-place starter Erik Jones:
RESULTS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Keystone Light Pole Qualifying; Charlotte Motor Speedway; May 15, 2015
- Kasey Kahne
- Erik Jones
- Matt Tifft
- Brad Keselowski
- Daniel Hemric
- Scott Lagasse Jr.
- Tyler Reddick
- Ray Black Jr.
- Matt Crafton
- Ben Kennedy
- John Wes Townley
- Korbin Forrister
- Cameron Hayley
- David Gilliland
- Brandon Jones
- Joe Nemechek
- Timothy Peters
- Spencer Gallagher
- Johnny Sauter
- Tyler Young
- Mason Mingus
- Justin Boston
- Tyler Tanner
- Justin Jennings
- B.J. McLeod
- Caleb Holman
- Jordan Anderson
- Wendell Chavous
- Kyle Fowler
- Jennifer Jo Cobb
- Travis Kvapil
- Norm Benning
DNQ: Todd Peck, Ryan Ellis, Brandon Brown
