March 22, 2014 — report by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Race Chaser Online — photo courtesy Getty Images for NASCAR — IRWINDALE, CA — Fast in practice translated to fast in qualifying for Brandon McReynolds Saturday evening at Irwindale Speedway.

McReynolds blazed to the Coors Light Pole Award with a fast lap of 18.150 seconds (99.174 mph) in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West’s first appearance at the progressively-banked half-mile oval in southern California since 2011.

McReynolds is making his fourth career K&N Pro Series West start, and first series appearance at any track not named Phoenix International Raceway, after finishing eighth in the season opener. McReynolds is running for the K&N Pro Series West title this season with Bill McAnally Racing. He also has 14 K&N Pro Series East starts to his credit, including a third-place effort earlier this season at Daytona.

Perennial series veteran David Mayhew qualified second with a lap of 18.152 seconds (99.163 mph), just two one-thousandths of a second off of the pole-winning time set by the NAPA-sponsored No. 20.

2011 series champion Greg Pursley clocked in third-fastest (18.247; 98.646 mph), with Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders James Bickford (18.283; 98.452 mph) and Patrick Staropoli (18.289; 98.420 mph) rounding out the top five starters in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Anthony Giannone, Dylan Lupton, Andrew Lewis, Taylor Cuzick and Giles Thornton completed the top ten on the grid. Lewis qualified the car for Daryl Harr, who was running the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday afternoon at nearby Fontana. Harr will drop to the rear at the start of the K&N Pro Series West race.

The NAPA Auto Parts 150 is set for an 8:30 PM Pacific time start this evening.