David Starr is the season's seventh different pole-sitter in eight events. Credit: Dan Schwartz/HSP

Starr sets track record in Monster Mile qualifying

DOVER, Del. -- David Starr on Thursday garnered his fourth career Craftsman Truck Series pole, posting a top speed of 157.577 mph in qualifying for the MBNA RacePoints 200 at Dover International Speedway.

Starr nipped Terry Cook by .016 seconds for the pole for Friday's race (4:30 p.m. ET, SPEED). Ron Hornaday, rookie Timothy Peters and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five at the Monster Mile.

MBNA RACEPOINTS 200 •   Race Lineup •   2nd Practice Speeds •   1st Practice Speeds

"First of all I have to thank Ron Hornaday and his crew chief Wally [Rogers] for helping us," Starr said. "We trade notes, Ron Hornaday, Jack Sprague, Dennis Setzer and our Spears team are all part of the Chevrolet Team Silverado, we work close together.

"Talking to Ron earlier helped us a little bit. I had the right truck to qualify; my Chevy Silverado was pretty awesome during qualifying. It is quite an honor to be on the pole here at Dover. I have been watching racing here for a long time."

Starr, the season's seventh different pole-sitter in eight events, was one of 29 drivers to break the previous qualifying speed record at Dover, set by Carl Edwards at 152.892 mph in 2004.

Mike Skinner, Bill Lester, David Reutimann, Robert Huffman and Steve Park completed the top 10 qualifiers.

"I enjoy this race track," Hornaday said. "For some reason I like the concrete, it has always been good to me. We have run really well here, we don't have a win yet but we have a great opportunity with our GM Goodwrench Silverado [on Friday].

"Wally and the guys put something good underneath me right off the trailer. We ran faster than I thought we were going to in qualifying. ... It was a good run for us and I am excited about the race."

Current Truck Series point leader Ted Musgrave, who won this race in 2002, qualified 16th.

Defending race winner Chad Chaffin will start from the 14th position.

Ricky Craven was awarded the 36th and final position on the field despite failing to make a qualifying attempt. Craven's Ford was damaged in a Turn 2 accident during the first practice session and his Jack Roush crew was unable to complete final preparation on a backup truck before qualifying ended.