Bell Storms To First Busch Pole Of 2025 At Martinsville
Christopher Bell celebrates the NASCAR Cup Series pole Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Christopher Bell got back to his usual self Saturday during Busch Light Pole Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway, rolling to his first NASCAR Cup Series pole of the year after three prior wins already this season.
Bell turned a lap of 19.718 seconds (96.034 mph) with the No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE midway through time trials that held up against all his later challengers, including a trio of Hendrick Motorsports drivers that will follow him to the green flag Sunday in the Cook Out 400.
It’s Bell’s 14th career Cup Series pole and shatters his previous best Martinsville starting spot of seventh from both 2021 and 2023.
“Man, I was down in the dumps after practice, but that was the best qualifying session I’ve ever felt from my car here at Martinsville,” noted Bell. “It was just easy; I don’t know how else to explain it.
“I’ve been really good at qualifying in the 20s here, and I went out there and the car had so much grip. It cut a really good lap, and I’m really proud of everyone on this (No.) 20 team. They’ve been working hard to improve our Martinsville package … and we’ll see what happens in race trim now, but regardless, starting up front here is going to be a huge help.
“I’m excited about the opportunity ahead of us; not just about potentially getting a fourth win this season, but having the chance to keep improving so we can come back here better in the playoffs.”
Chase Elliott, the 2020 fall Martinsville winner, joins Bell on the front row after his best lap of 19.735 seconds (95.951 mph) in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet.
Alex Bowman (19.738/95.937) and Kyle Larson (19.755/95.854) were the other two Hendrick drivers behind Bell and share the second row of the grid, with Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing stablemate Denny Hamlin lining up fifth.
Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and defending Martinsville spring race winner William Byron filled out the top 10 in qualifying.
Notables starting deeper in the pack Sunday include Kyle Busch (12th), Las Vegas winner Josh Berry in a weekend celebration of the Wood Brothers’ 75th anniversary, Austin Cindric (20th), Brad Keselowski (27th), and Ryan Blaney (32nd), a multi-time Martinsville winner who struggled in qualifying.
Casey Mears lines up 37th in his return to NASCAR competition, while southern modified ace Burt Myers timed in slowest among the 38 entries in attendance.
No drivers failed to qualify at the half-mile ‘Paper Clip’.
Broadcast coverage of Sunday’s Cook Out 400 is slated for 3 p.m. ET, live on FS1, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
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