NHMS Notes: Ryan Newman On Pole For Sprint Cup Sylvania 300; Cole Custer Tops K&N East Qualifying

LOUDON, N.H. – It’s a position Ryan Newman is all too familiar with at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Ryan Newman (right) chats with Clint Bowyer Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Photo: Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Image)

Newman will take the field to green from the pole position in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

It’s the seventh pole in 24 career Sprint Cup Series events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Stewart-Haas Driver.

Newman set a track qualifying record of 27.904 seconds (136.497 mph, breaking the record set by Brad Keselowski in July in Loudon.

“I’ve said it here several times, probably at least six other occasions, that this is the birthplace of track position and I strongly feel that it is,” Newman said. “Qualifying well, have that number one pit stall and starting the race up front, clean air and all the things that go – and probably most important is the confidence to know that you have the fastest racecar or at least can make it the fastest racecar.

“I really didn’t have a lot of speed in my lap. I felt like it was balanced. But the speed just kind of comes with the track cooling down.”

It marked the 51st Sprint Cup Series pole for Newman.

Kasey Kahne will start second after a qualifying lap of 27.989 seconds (136.082 mph). Jeff Gordon will start third. All three drivers are part of the Chase for the Championship field.

Rookie Cole Custer won the pole for Saturday’s K&N Pro Series East North American Power 100 in Friday’s qualifying session.

It was the second series pole for the 15-year old from Ladera Ranch, Calif. who became the series’ youngest winner ever when he was victorious at Iowa Speedway last month.

Custer set a fast lap of 29.659 seconds (128.420 mph) Friday. Series points leader Dylan Kwasniewski was second in qualifying at 29.721 seconds (128.152 mph). Daniel Suarez was third in qualifying (29.932 seconds, 127.248 mph).