{"id":352981,"date":"2026-03-29T01:03:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T01:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/352981\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T01:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T01:03:15","slug":"nascar-news-svg-qualifies-career-best-fifth-at-martinsville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/352981\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR news: SVG qualifies career-best fifth at Martinsville"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Van
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShane van Gisbergen during the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinvsille. <\/p>\n

Teammates Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch were only 18th and 25th at half-mile oval.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first time van Gisbergen has qualified fifth on an oval for a points-paying race. His previous best was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last year.<\/p>\n

Ahead of qualifying, van Gisbergen explained how he had made a change from right foot braking to left foot braking \u2013 a move that has seemingly paid dividends.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the ovals you have to left-foot. Everyone left-foots,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost tracks it\u2019s easy, but on a track like this where you downchange, I\u2019m not really used to that downchanging.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Xfinity Car, the first time I was here I right-foot braked and went back and fourth.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I\u2019ve committed to left-foot braking, I\u2019ve put big spacing between my pedals so I can\u2019t right-foot brake.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just the timing of then to blip, because you don\u2019t have to clutch like I do on the road course to help with the downchange. It\u2019s just a rhythm and technique thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very easy to overlap quite a lot with the throttle and brake like a go kart. Just trying to keep my inputs separate. It\u2019s a lot of timing and repetition that i\u2019m not used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin continued his purple patch to take pole position in the #11 Toyota Camry.<\/p>\n

Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 William Byron will start second as the best Chevrolet Camaro in the #24 ahead of leading Ford Mustang driver Josh Berry for Wood Brothers Racing in the #21 car.<\/p>\n

Hamlin\u2019s teammate Ty Gibbs will line up fourth in the #54 Camry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew it was possible simply from where my car was in practice,\u2019\u2019 said Hamlin, who racked up his fifth pole position at Martinsville.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny time you\u2019ve got fast lap speed in practice here that\u2019s in the top 12, you\u2019re close enough there that qualifying trim doesn\u2019t change your car that much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got enough speed to where you nail it and do a good enough job as a driver you\u2019ve got a chance at the pole.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew it was very possible but truthfully, I approached the lap to get in the top eight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019d go faster if I went and did it again right now, but I think I\u2019ll go on and stand on my time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monday\u2019s race is scheduled for 7:30am AEDT with coverage live on Fox Sports and streaming on Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n

Results: NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 Martinsville Speedway, Qualifying<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nCar
\nLap
\nDiff
\nGap<\/p>\n

1
\n11
\nDenny Hamlin
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.275<\/p>\n

2
\n24
\nWilliam Byron
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.331
\n0.056
\n0.056<\/p>\n

3
\n21
\nJosh Berry
\nWood Brothers Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n19.334
\n0.059
\n0.003<\/p>\n

4
\n54
\nTy Gibbs
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.338
\n0.063
\n0.004<\/p>\n

5
\n97
\nShane Van
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.339
\n0.064
\n0.001<\/p>\n

6
\n2
\nAustin Cindric
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n19.351
\n0.076
\n0.012<\/p>\n

7
\n77
\nCarson Hocevar
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.363
\n0.088
\n0.012<\/p>\n

8
\n45
\nTyler Reddick
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.376
\n0.101
\n0.013<\/p>\n

9
\n22
\nJoey Logano
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n19.389
\n0.114
\n0.013<\/p>\n

10
\n9
\nChase Elliott
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.392
\n0.117
\n0.003<\/p>\n

11
\n20
\nChristopher Bell
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.398
\n0.123
\n0.006<\/p>\n

12
\n12
\nRyan Blaney
\nTeam Penske
\nFord Mustang
\n19.429
\n0.154
\n0.031<\/p>\n

13
\n5
\nKyle Larson
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.432
\n0.157
\n0.003<\/p>\n

14
\n38
\nZane Smith
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n19.444
\n0.169
\n0.012<\/p>\n

15
\n23
\nBubba Wallace
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.445
\n0.17
\n0.001<\/p>\n

16
\n17
\nChris Buescher
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n19.446
\n0.171
\n0.001<\/p>\n

17
\n60
\nRyan Preece
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n19.453
\n0.178
\n0.007<\/p>\n

18
\n1
\nRoss Chastain
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.457
\n0.182
\n0.004<\/p>\n

19
\n43
\nErik Jones
\nLegacy Motor Club
\nToyota Camry
\n19.486
\n0.211
\n0.029<\/p>\n

20
\n71
\nMichael McDowell
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.495
\n0.22
\n0.009<\/p>\n

21
\n48
\nJustin Allgaier(i)
\nHendrick Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.503
\n0.228
\n0.008<\/p>\n

22
\n7
\nDaniel Suarez
\nSpire Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.508
\n0.233
\n0.005<\/p>\n

23
\n6
\nBrad Keselowski
\nRFK Racing
\nFord Mustang
\n19.518
\n0.243
\n0.01<\/p>\n

24
\n41
\nCole Custer
\nHaas Factory Team
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.53
\n0.255
\n0.012<\/p>\n

25
\n88
\nConnor Zilisch #
\nTrackhouse Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.536
\n0.261
\n0.006<\/p>\n

26
\n35
\nRiley Herbst
\n23XI Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.561
\n0.286
\n0.025<\/p>\n

27
\n19
\nChase Briscoe
\nJoe Gibbs Racing
\nToyota Camry
\n19.562
\n0.287
\n0.001<\/p>\n

28
\n16
\nAJ Allmendinger
\nKaulig Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.578
\n0.303
\n0.016<\/p>\n

29
\n34
\nTodd Gilliland
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n19.588
\n0.313
\n0.01<\/p>\n

30
\n3
\nAustin Dillon
\nRichard Childress Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.625
\n0.35
\n0.037<\/p>\n

31
\n4
\nNoah Gragson
\nFront Row Motorsports
\nFord Mustang
\n19.65
\n0.375
\n0.025<\/p>\n

32
\n42
\nJohn Hunter Nemechek
\nLegacy Motor Club
\nToyota Camry
\n19.664
\n0.389
\n0.014<\/p>\n

33
\n47
\nRicky Stenhouse Jr.
\nHyak Motorsports
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.676
\n0.401
\n0.012<\/p>\n

34
\n8
\nKyle Busch
\nRichard Childress Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.705
\n0.43
\n0.029<\/p>\n

35
\n51
\nCody Ware
\nRick Ware Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.719
\n0.444
\n0.014<\/p>\n

36
\n10
\nTy Dillon
\nKaulig Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.76
\n0.485
\n0.041<\/p>\n

37
\n33
\n* Austin Hill(i)
\nRichard Childress Racing
\nChevrolet Camaro
\n19.921
\n0.646
\n0.161<\/p>\n

For more of the latest NASCAR news and analysis, visit Speedcafe US<\/a><\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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