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2018 NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sonoma starting grid: Kyle Larson wins pole in home state

By Nick Tylwalk

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 23: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 DC Solar Chevrolet, poses for a photo after winning the pole award during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 23, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
SONOMA, CA - JUNE 23: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 DC Solar Chevrolet, poses for a photo after winning the pole award during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 23, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /
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Still chasing his first win of the 2018 season, Kyle Larson will attempt to finally get it at Sonoma from the best possible starting spot.

What’s in a pole position? For Kyle Larson, still winless so far in this Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaign, hopefully enough that he can stay in front for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Though he’s never won a road course race at the Cup Series level, Larson will start from the front for the first one of 2018, laying down a time that was just over a tenth of a second faster than Martin Truex Jr, who settled for P2. It was a good day for Chevrolet drivers — who haven’t won this year since the Daytona 500 — as Chase Elliott, Larson’s teammate Jamie McMurray and AJ Allmendinger all put their cars in the top five.

In an unusual turn of events, only Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski put Fords in the top 10, but Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Trevor Bayne are just outside. It wasn’t a fantastic day for Kurt Busch, who generally performs well at Sonoma but will have to start on Sunday from the 23rd position, right beside Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Aric Almirola.

Coverage of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 kicks off on FS1 at 3:00 p.m., with the green flag expected at 3:13 p.m.

2018 Toyota/Save Mart 350 starting grid for Sonoma Raceway

  1. Kyle Larson (second Busch Pole Award of 2018) – No. 42 DC Solar Chevrolet
  2. Martin Truex Jr. – No. 78 5-hour Energy/Bass Pro Shops Toyota
  3. Chase Elliott – No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
  4. Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet
  5. AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 Kroger Click List Chevrolet
  6. Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford
  7. Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet
  8. William Byron – No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet
  9. Kyle Busch – No. 18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota
  10. Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Discount Tire Ford
  11. Ryan Blaney – No. 12 PPG Ford
  12. Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
  13. Trevor Bayne – No. 6 AdvoCare Rehydrate Ford
  14. Ryan Newman – No. 31 Grainger/American Red Cross Chevrolet
  15. Paul Menard – No. 21 Menards/Richmond Ford
  16. Daniel Suarez – No. 19 Stanley Toyota
  17. Alex Bowman – No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet
  18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Fastenal Ford
  19. Clint Bowyer – No. 14 One Cure Ford
  20. Erik Jones – No. 20 DeWalt Toyota
  21. Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota
  22. Michael McDowell – No 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Roller Bites Ford
  23. Kurt Busch – No. 41 Haas Automation Ford
  24. Aric Almirola – No. 10 Smithfield Ford
  25. Chris Buescher – No. 37 Maxwell House Max Chevrolet
  26. Kasey Kahne – No. 95 ProCore Chevrolet
  27. Austin Dillon – No. 3 Dow Chervolet
  28. David Ragan – No. 38 1000Bulbs.com Ford
  29. Gray Gaulding – No. 23 Earthwater Toyota
  30. Matt DiBenedetto – No. 32 The Hartford Gold Group Ford
  31. Ty Dillon – No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet
  32. Cole Whitt – No. 72 TBD Chevrolet
  33. Justin Marks – No. 15 Sufferfest Beer Company Chevrolet
  34. Parker Kligerman – No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota
  35. Bubba Wallace – No 43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet
  36. Chris Cook – No. 51 Shockwave Ford
  37. Tomy Drissi – No. 00 Go Share Chevrolet
  38. Cody Ware – No. 52 SBC Contractors/Bubba Burger Chevrolet
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