NASCAR Next standout to start first for third straight race
RESULTS: Qualifying
RELATED: Joe Gibbs says Erik Jones is 'on the fast track' to Cup
Erik Jones launched to the 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the third straight race in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Jones, a first-time winner last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, topped the five-minute final round of knockout qualifying with a fast lap of 125.158 mph on the .533-mile track. He'll start first in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota for Saturday's Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1).
The pole position was the 18-year-old NASCAR Next driver's third of the season, third in a row and third in his XFINITY Series career.
Joey Logano, who won the pole in each of his previous XFINITY starts this season, will share the front row in Saturday afternoon's 300-lapper after turning in the second-fastest lap at 124.768 mph in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford.
Austin Dillon, Brian Scott and Denny Hamlin completed the top five in qualifying for the series' seventh of 33 races this season.
Defending series champion Chase Elliott will start 13th in the JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevy, after just missing the cut for the final five-minute qualifying session. XFINITY Series points leader Ty Dillon was also eliminated after Round 2 in qualifying and will start 16th in the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet. Both Dillon and Elliott had trouble in Friday's final practice, but recovered after repairs.
Jones led the second round of qualifying at 124.678 mph, and Logano was fastest in the opening qualifying round at 124.800 mph. Cale Conley caused the only stoppage in qualifying, looping his No. 14 Toyota five minutes into the opening round and making slight contact with the Turn 4 retaining wall.
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