Ty Dillon proved that he will make the famous No. 3 one to be reckoned with in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series opener.
After leading in two of the three series practice session, the 23-year-old North Carolina native put his Richard Childress Racing Chevy on the Coors Light pole for the Powershares 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
Dillon laid down a lap at 181.84 mph, knocking Daniel Suarez out of the top spot at the end of qualifying Saturday morning.
It’s the fourth career Xfinity Series pole for Dillon. His last came at Kansas Speedway in October of 2014.
Dillon, the grandson of team owner Richard Childress, had led the first round of qualifying and backed it up as the last car on the track in the final round.
Suarez was second fastest, while NASCAR veteran Bobby Labonte, in his first outing in a NXS car since the 2008 season, timed in third in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon was fourth fastest, with Eric Jones fifth.
Brendan Gaughan, Atlanta, Georgia’s Brandon Jones, Joey Logano, Blake Koch, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Reed and Darrell Wallace, Jr. rounded out the top 12.
Several Peach State drivers are set to take the green flag today in the series opener. Watkinsville, Ga.’s John Wes Townley, who won last Saturday’s ARCA Series opener at Daytona, timed in at 14th fastest. Dawsonville, Ga.’s Chase Elliott, who will lead the field to green in Sunday’s Daytona 500, was 19th fastest. Tucker, Ga.’s Ryan Sieg was 25th quickest, while Conyers, Ga.’s Chris Cockrum was 35th fastest.
Cartersville, Ga.’s Mark Thompson did not qualify for the race.
WDUN will have live MRN Radio coverage of Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series Power Shares 300 from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 3 pm on 102.9 FM.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, FL
Powershares QQQ 300 Qualifying – Feb. 20, 2016
1. 3 Ty Dillon Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 49.493 181.844
2. 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 49.612 181.408
3. 18 Bobby Labonte(i) NOS Energy Drink Toyota 49.722 181.006
4. 2 Austin Dillon(i) Rheem Chevrolet 49.742 180.934
5. 20 Erik Jones # Resers Main Street Bistro Toyota 49.771 180.828
6. 62 Brendan Gaughan South Point Chevrolet 49.864 180.491
7. 33 Brandon Jones # Barrett-Jackson/Menards Chevrolet 49.869 180.473
8. 22 Joey Logano(i) Discount Tire Ford 50.005 179.982
9. 11 Blake Koch Leaf Filter Gutter Protection Chevrolet 50.036 179.870
10. 1 Elliott Sadler OneMain Chevrolet 50.063 179.773
11. 16 Ryan Reed Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Assoc Ford 50.245 179.122
12. 6 Darrell Wallace Jr Selfeo Ford 50.263 179.058
13. 48 Brennan Poole # DC Solar Chevrolet 50.091 179.673
14. 05 John Wes Townley(i) Florida Lottery Chevrolet 50.167 179.401
15. 5 Kasey Kahne(i) Hellmann’s Chevrolet 50.177 179.365
16. 7 Justin Allgaier BRANDT Chevrolet 50.185 179.336
17. 42 Kyle Larson(i) ENEOS Chevrolet 50.229 179.179
18. 28 Dakoda Armstrong Winfield Be Greater Toyota 50.232 179.169
19. 88 Chase Elliott(i) TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet 50.306 178.905
20. 24 Matt Tifft(i) Clinical RM Toyota 50.312 178.884
21. 43 Jeb Burton J Streicher Ford 50.325 178.838
22. 14 Benny Gordon VSI Racing Toyota 50.348 178.756
23. 44 David Starr Zachry Toyota 50.384 178.628
24. 98 Aric Almirola(i) Fresh from Florida Ford 50.398 178.579
25. 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 50.438 178.437
26. 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 50.461 178.356
27. 85 Bobby Gerhart Lucas Oil Chevrolet 50.694 177.536
28. 87 Joe Nemechek(i) DAB Constructors Inc Toyota 50.733 177.399
29. 46 Anthony Kumpen Nexteer Automotive/Leaseplan Chevrolet 50.747 177.350
30. 93 Scott Lagasse Jr Alert Today Florida Chevrolet 50.753 177.329
31. 01 Ryan Preece # Uptick Vineyards Chevrolet 50.755 177.322
32. 07 Ray Black Jr # ScubaLife Chevrolet 50.771 177.267
33. 0 Eric McClure Reynolds Wrap Chevrolet 50.777 177.246
34. 90 Martin Roy Gamache Truck Center Chevrolet Owner Points
35. 25 Chris Cockrum Advanced Communications Group Chevrolet Owner Points
36. 4 Ross Chastain Flex Seal Chevrolet Owner Points
37. 51 Jeremy Clements Kevin Whitaker Owner Points
38. 78 B.J. McLeod # Batteries Plus Bulbs Ford Owner Points
39. 52 Joey Gase JT Concrete Inc/TransLife Chevrolet Owner Points
40. 17 Jeff Green Dashub.com Chevrolet Past Champion
Did Not Qualify: # 13 Mark Thompson; # 92 Mario Gosselin; # 97 Harrison Rhodes; # 70 Derrike Cope; # 99 Chris Fontaine(i); # 40 Derek White; # 74 Mike Harmon; # 15 Stanton Barrett.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
