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2018 NASCAR Overton’s 400 Chicagoland starting grid: Paul Menard leads Ford charge

By Nick Tylwalk

JOLIET, IL - JUNE 30: Paul Menard, driver of the #21 Menards/Sylvania Ford, poses with the Busch Pole Award after posting the fastest lap during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton's 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 30, 2018 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
JOLIET, IL - JUNE 30: Paul Menard, driver of the #21 Menards/Sylvania Ford, poses with the Busch Pole Award after posting the fastest lap during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton's 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 30, 2018 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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If the Fords are as fast in race trim as they were for qualifying for the Overton’s 400, Sunday could be a long one for Chevy and Toyota drivers at Chicagoland.

Paul Menard might be the most visibly happy driver in the NASCAR Cup Series garage most weeks, as he has a pretty reserved personality. But he was all smiles after claiming the Busch Pole Award for the Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, and plenty of his fellow Ford drivers should be happy too.

Fords claimed six of the top seven spots in the starting grid for Sunday’s race, with only Chase Elliott’s Chevy placing a very respectable third to keep them from a clean sweep. Ryan Blaney will join Menard in Row 1, with three of the four Stewart-Haas Racing cars in positions four through six and Brad Keselowski in seventh.

Erik Jones was the highest qualifier among Toyota drivers and will start ninth, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Danie Suarez beside him. As for the Big 3, Kevin Harvick will roll off 11th, Kyle Busch will start 16th and Martin Truex Jr. will have to come all the way from 36th if he wants to claim his fourth Cup Series victory of the 2018 season.

Of course he might be able to do just that, considering he’s won this race each of the last two years. If he does, it will give Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will make his NASCAR on NBC race analyst debut, plenty to talk about.

Next: Are midweek NASCAR races on the way soon?

Coverage of the Overton’s 400 is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the green flag expected around 2:46 p.m.

2018 Overton’s 400 starting grid for Chicagoland Speedway

  1. Paul Menard – No. 21 Menards/Sylvania Ford
  2. Ryan Blaney – No. 12 PPG Ford
  3. Chase Elliott – No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
  4. Kurt Busch – No. 41 Haas Automation Ford
  5. Clint Bowyer – No. 14 Wix Filters Ford
  6. Aric Almirola – No. 10 Smithfield Ford
  7. Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Stars, Stripes and Lites Ford
  8. William Byron – No. 24 Unifirst Chevrolet
  9. Erik Jones – No. 20 DeWalt Toyota
  10. Daniel Suarez – No. 19 Peak Toyota
  11. Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford
  12. Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
  13. Jamie McMurray – No. 1 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevrolet
  14. Austin Dillon – No. 3 Dow Intellifresh Chevrolet
  15. Alex Bowman – No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet
  16. Kyle Busch – No. 18 Skittles Red, White & Blue Toyota
  17. Ryan Newman – No. 31 TBD Chevrolet
  18. Kyle Larson – No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet
  19. AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 Kroger Click List Chevrolet
  20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Fastenal Ford
  21. Trevor Bayne – No. 6 AdvoCare Rehydrate Ford
  22. Bubba Wallace – No. 43 Jewel-Osco Chevrolet
  23. David Ragan – No. 38 TBD Ford
  24. Kasey Kahne – No. 95 Thorne Wellness Chevrolet
  25. Ty Dillon – No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet
  26. Michael McDowell – No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford
  27. Ross Chastain – No. 15 Low T Centers Chevrolet
  28. Matt DiBenedetto – No. 32 Anest Iwata Ford
  29. Gray Gaulding – No. 23 BK Racing Toyota
  30. Kyle Weatherman – No. 99 TBA Chevrolet
  31. Landon Cassill – No. 00 TBA Chevrolet
  32. Corey LaJoie – No. 72 TBA Chevrolet
  33. B.J. McLeod – No. 51 TBA Ford
  34. Reed Sorensen – No. 7 TBA Chevrolet
  35. Timmy Hill – No. 66 CrashClaimsR.Us Toyota
  36. Martin Truex Jr. – No. 78 5-hour Energy/Bass Pro Shops Toyota
  37. Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota
  38. Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet
  39. Chris Buescher – No. 37 Kleenex Wet Wipes Chevrolet
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