Ohio-native Sam Hornish, Jr. scored his eighth-career NASCAR Xfinity Series Coors Light Pole Award in record fashion on Friday, capturing the top spot in the afternoon qualifying session for Saturday’s Mid-Ohio Challenge at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Hornish, from nearby Defiance, Ohio, covered the 2.258-mile,13-turn road course at a speed of 96.755 mph (84.014 seconds) in the opening session, eclipsing the previous track record of 96.256mph set by Michael McDowell in 2013.
After pacing the field in the first segment, Hornish came right back out and topped the second segment with a speed of 96.374mph (84.346 seconds) to top Australian road racer Owen Kelly and collect his first pole of 2016 and his second ever at Mid-Ohio. Hornish had previously won the pole for this event back in 2014.
Hornish is making just his third series start of the season and his second behind the wheel of the Richard Childress-owned no. 2 Chevrolet. He already has one victory this year, coming in his first start at Iowa Speedway back in June while subbing for Matt Tifft.
“The fact that we're here and we're as good as we have been really is hats off to RCR and all the people that work on the Rheem No. 2 car,” said Hornish. "Right off the bat, this morning I was kind of worried about it being a little bit rusty. It's been a little while since I've been on a road course."
Kelly, making just his fourth Xfinity Series start in six years, qualified second in the no. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing with a speed of 95.877mph (84.784 seconds).
Ryan Blaney, the only Sprint Cup regular to make the trip to Mid-Ohio this weekend, will start third after clocking in with a speed of 95.739mph (84.906 second) in the no. 22 Team Penske Ford. Series points leader Elliott Sadler (95.675mph, 84.963 seconds) and second-place points driver Daniel Suarez (95.613mph, 85.018
WDUN will have live MRN Racing coverage of Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series Mid-Ohio Challenge from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course beginning at 3 pm on 102.9 FM and AM 550.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - Lexington, Ohio
Mid-Ohio Challenge - Aug. 12, 2016
Saturday's Starting Line Up
1. (2) Sam Hornish, Jr., Chevrolet, 96.374 mph
2. (18) Owen Kelly, Toyota, 95.877
3. (22) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 95.739
4. (1) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 95.675
5. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 95.613
6. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 95.351
7. (3) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 95.249
8. (16) Ryan Reed, Ford, 95.232
9. (98) Nelson Piquet, Jr., Ford, 95.181
10. (6) Darrell Wallace, Jr., Ford, 95.164
11. (7) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 95.162
12. (62) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 94.966
13. (11) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 95.078
14. (51) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 95.008
15. (90) Andy Lally, Chevrolet, 94.823
16. (42) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 94.727
17. (48) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 94.725
18. (88) Kenny Habul, Chevrolet, 94.681
19. (33) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 94.139
20. (44) J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 93.850
21. (4) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 93.832
22. (40) Alon Day, Dodge, 93.816
23. (39) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 93.782
24. (01) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, 93.709
25. (10) Jeff Green, Toyota, 93.423
26. (28) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 93.233
27. (15) Stanton Barrett, Ford, 93.117
28. (97) T.J. Bell, Chevrolet, 92.417
29. (25) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 91.810
30. (14) Mike Bliss, Toyota, 91.740
31. (70) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, 91.615
32. (93) David Starr, Chevrolet, 91.423
33. (07) Ray Black, Jr., Chevrolet, 91.408
34. (13) Tim Cowen, Ford, Owner Points
35. (77) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, Owner Points
36. (0) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, Owner Points
37. (52) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, Owner Points
38. (78) B.J. McLeod, Ford, Owner Points
39. (74) Roger Reuse, Dodge, Owner Points
40. (92) Mario Gosselin, Chevrolet, 78.972
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