DOVER, Del. — Report by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Race Chaser Online — Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images photo — Joey Logano is to Dover in the NASCAR Nationwide Series what Jimmie Johnson is to Dover in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and he proved his dominance of the Monster Mile in NASCAR’s second-tier division once again during Coors Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
Logano, winner of four of the last five Dover Nationwide events, grabbed prime starting position for this afternoon’s Dover 200, outpacing Sunoco rookie contender and championship leader Chase Elliott in the second and final round of knockout qualifying with a quick lap of 23.230 seconds (154.972 mph) to claim the Coors Light Pole Award for the fifth time at Dover and the second straight Nationwide race at the one-mile concrete oval.
Elliott will line up on the front row alongside the Team Penske driver, posting a lap of 23.246 seconds (154.865 seconds). Elliott leads the championship points over his teammate Regan Smith coming into today’s 200-mile event.
Fellow rookie contender Ty Dillon, Sprint Cup rookie Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch, who won the spring race at Dover, round out the top-five on the starting grid.
Elliott paced the first round of qualifying at a clip of 23.274 seconds (154.679 mph), topping Logano, Brian Scott, Dillon and Larson.
Trevor Bayne was the first car to miss the cut for the final round; he will start 13th after posting a lap of 23.820 seconds (151.134 mph).
Other notables to miss the final round included NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase challenger Aric Almirola (16th), Dylan Kwasniewski (17th) and Ryan Reed (18th).
Logano, Busch and Almriola are all Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup hopefuls and will try to secure their spots in the Contender Round tomorrow.
James Buescher’s hood popped open in Friday practice and he was forced to a backup car. He will start from the rear in Saturday’s race.
Josh Reaume brought out the only caution in the qualifying session after he smacked the wall on the frontstretch.
The Nationwide Series will hit the track for the Dover 200 at 3:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN2.
