RIDGEWAY, Va. – Martin Truex Jr. rebounded from an early exit in the Chase last weekend by winning Coors Light Pole Qualifying for Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway (1 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).

Truex claimed his fifth career pole and first at Martinsville with a fast time of 19.282 seconds (98.206 mph).

Immediately after winning the pole, Truex recognized the importance of starting up front. “This place is just so tough,” he said. “That first pit stall is just so critical for having a shot to win here. I really want to get my first grandfather clock. I’m still a little bitter from last week, but this helps a little bit. But all in all, just proud of the guys coming here with a game plan and able to execute.”

“It’s not guaranteed that you race well on Sunday. It’s definitely a nice advantage if you have a good race car to make up spots on pit road and not have to worry about getting blocked in your stall and all of those things. Its a great advantage and hopefully we’ll have a car to take advantage of it.”

The Furniture Row Racing driver also had great respect for the history of the track. “Growing up, I didn’t know much about stock car racing, he said. “I really only knew what I heard from my dad and my uncles hanging around the shop where they built their modifieds.”

“But I always heard stories about Martinsville. They’d come down once a year to run the modified race here. It wasn’t a Sprint Cup race, but it was a big deal for a bunch of clammers from New Jersey that race modifieds on the weekends!”

Behind Truex, Joey Logano led the way for the eight drivers remaining in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He qualified his No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford for Team Penske on the outside of the front row with a time of 19.290 seconds (98.165 mph).