Rookie of the year contender Justin Allgaier, or "Little Gator" as he is nicknamed, secured his first career pole in the Nationwide series race at Memphis Motorsports Park. He will lead the field to the green in the Kroger on Track for the Cure 250, set to run this afternoon at 3:30 PM.
Allgaier can now rip off his rookie stripe at this track as this is the first time that Allgaier has ever visited the Memphis speedway. Although Allgaier has been at rookie fourteen times so far at various tracks in the Nationwide Series, he has come away from those attempts with three top-five and six top-ten finishes.
Allgaier, driving the no. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger for Penske Racing, held his breath, particularly while the veteran Mike Bliss was on the track for his qualifying lap. Bliss had a fast car in practice and seemed to be Allgaier's biggest threat for the pole position.
"We didn't have the speed in qualifying trim," Bliss said. "But it's racing real good."
At the end of the time trial session, however, it was Allgaier's time that held for that first position. Allgaier secured the pole with a time of 22.86 seconds and a speed of 118.100 miles per hour.
"To get our first Nationwide pole here in Memphis; to come here for the first time and to sit on the pole feels awesome," Allgaier said. "I thought we were going to get our first pole in Iowa but we missed out on it.'
"So, this feels really good."
The top ten qualifiers for the Kroger on Track for the Cure 250 are:
1. Justin Allgaier
2. Scott Wimmer
3. Richard Boswell
4. Matt DiBenedetto
5. Kenny Wallace
6. Mike Bliss
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Willie Allen
9. Mark Day
10. Mike Wallace
Allgaier's Penske team brought chassis PRS -017 to Memphis Motorsports Park for the Nationwide race. This chassis was last run by Allgaier in the Gateway International Race, where he finished in the eleventh position.
Allgaier also made his traditional visit to the local Verizon Wireless store, as he does every race weekend. Yesterday, the driver visited a store in Collier, Tennessee, signing autographs and taking pictures with the fans.
While Allgaier is looking forward to the race, his crew chief Chad Walter is as well. "Justin has done a great job behind the wheel," Walter said. "I'm looking for more of the same this weekend."
"We know what we have to do as a team to finish off the season on a strong note."
Allgaier and his team are also focused on winning the coveted Rookie of the Year title in the Nationwide Series. Right now, they are 18 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in that battle.
But for now, Allgaier is singularly focused on using his pole position to secure the best finish that he can. While it may be his first time at the track, Allgaier knows what it takes to win, having been the 2008 ARCA/REMAX Series champion before coming to the Nationwide Series this year.
"Now, we're going to go win this one," Allgaier said after his pole position was in the books. "That would be a good way to end the weekend."
Complete qualifying results
| Pos. |
St. |
Driver |
Make |
Speed |
Time |
Behind |
| 1 |
12 |
Justin Allgaier* |
Dodge |
118.1 |
22.862 |
| 2 |
40 |
Scott Wimmer |
Chevrolet |
117.739 |
22.932 |
-0.07 |
| 3 |
5 |
Richard Boswell |
Chevrolet |
117.693 |
22.941 |
-0.079 |
| 4 |
20 |
Matt DiBenedetto |
Toyota |
117.668 |
22.946 |
-0.084 |
| 5 |
28 |
Kenny Wallace |
Chevrolet |
117.299 |
23.018 |
-0.156 |
| 6 |
11 |
Mike Bliss |
Toyota |
117.279 |
23.022 |
-0.16 |
| 7 |
88 |
Brad Keselowski |
Chevrolet |
117.147 |
23.048 |
-0.186 |
| 8 |
192 |
Willie Allen |
Dodge |
117.061 |
23.065 |
-0.203 |
| 9 |
5 |
Mark Day |
Chevrolet |
117.02 |
23.073 |
-0.211 |
| 10 |
1 |
Mike Wallace |
Chevrolet |
116.888 |
23.099 |
-0.237 |
| 11 |
18 |
Casey Atwood |
Toyota |
116.747 |
23.127 |
-0.265 |
| 12 |
66 |
Steve Wallace |
Chevrolet |
116.711 |
23.134 |
-0.272 |
| 13 |
62 |
Brendan Gaughan* |
Chevrolet |
116.686 |
23.139 |
-0.277 |
| 14 |
1 |
Landon Cassill |
Chevrolet |
116.676 |
23.141 |
-0.279 |
| 15 |
70 |
Shelby Howard |
Chevrolet |
116.575 |
23.161 |
-0.299 |
| 16 |
102 |
Andy Ponstein |
Chevrolet |
116.56 |
23.164 |
-0.302 |
| 17 |
99 |
Trevor Bayne |
Toyota |
116.555 |
23.165 |
-0.303 |
| 18 |
16 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
Ford |
116.55 |
23.166 |
-0.304 |
| 19 |
7 |
Danny O'Quinn Jr. |
Chevrolet |
116.334 |
23.209 |
-0.347 |
| 20 |
9 |
John Wes Townley* |
Ford |
116.329 |
23.21 |
-0.348 |
| 21 |
27 |
Jason Keller |
Ford |
116.184 |
23.239 |
-0.377 |
| 22 |
6 |
Erik Darnell* |
Ford |
116.159 |
23.244 |
-0.382 |
| 23 |
89 |
Morgan Shepherd |
Chevrolet |
116.029 |
23.27 |
-0.408 |
| 24 |
0 |
Jeremy Clements |
Chevrolet |
115.964 |
23.283 |
-0.421 |
| 25 |
81 |
Blake Koch |
Dodge |
115.885 |
23.299 |
-0.437 |
| 26 |
91 |
Justin Hobgood |
Chevrolet |
115.85 |
23.306 |
-0.444 |
| 27 |
239 |
Eddie MacDonald |
Ford |
115.82 |
23.312 |
-0.45 |
| 28 |
173 |
Chase Miller |
Dodge |
115.736 |
23.329 |
-0.467 |
| 29 |
38 |
Jason Leffler |
Toyota |
115.671 |
23.342 |
-0.48 |
| 30 |
10 |
Justin Marks |
Toyota |
115.597 |
23.357 |
-0.495 |
| 31 |
29 |
Stephen Leicht |
Chevrolet |
115.33 |
23.411 |
-0.549 |
| 32 |
33 |
Kelly Bires |
Chevrolet |
114.84 |
23.511 |
-0.649 |
| 33 |
32 |
Brian Ickler |
Toyota |
114.84 |
23.511 |
-0.649 |
| 34 |
15 |
Michael Annett* |
Toyota |
114.723 |
23.535 |
-0.673 |
| 35 |
60 |
Auggie Vidovich |
Ford |
114.591 |
23.562 |
-0.7 |
| 36 |
23 |
Robert Richardson Jr. |
Chevrolet |
114.382 |
23.605 |
-0.743 |
| 37 |
26 |
Kevin Conway+ |
Chevrolet |
114.334 |
23.615 |
-0.753 |
| 38 |
234 |
Tony Raines+ |
Chevrolet |
114.261 |
23.63 |
-0.768 |
| 39 |
47 |
Coleman Pressley+ |
Toyota |
111.529 |
24.209 |
-1.347 |
| 40 |
61 |
Kenny Hendrick+ |
Ford |
111.276 |
24.264 |
-1.402 |
| 41 |
87 |
Jeff Fuller+ |
Chevrolet |
111.033 |
24.317 |
-1.455 |
| 42 |
24 |
Eric McClure+ |
Ford |
110.267 |
24.486 |
-1.624 |
| 43 |
196 |
Brian Keselowski |
Dodge |
115.646 |
23.347 |
-0.485 |
