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At the age of 53 there's very few things which scare Mark Martin. Perhaps Dover, Delaware's Monster Mile track is one of Martin's scary things.
Or maybe he scared himself a little.
After Martin won his 54th career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole the ageless driver was out of breath when he was interviewed.
"I would never try that again," said Martin with a laugh. "I anticipated the car being loose, but I didn't ask Rodney (Childers, crew chief) if he tightened it up. I knew the conditions were looser than they were in our mock qualifying run yesterday and I didn't want to ask him because I didn't want to get concerned.
"I knew that I only had to make it one mile without wrecking and I was going to drive to the limit and slightly beyond and I felt like I did that."
Martin, who drives a Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing on a part time schedule averaged 158.297 mph (22.742 seconds), for his third pole of the season and fifth at Dover.
Even five-time Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson was shaking a little when he got out of his second place Chevrolet after a lap of 158.263 mph.
"Yeah, I've still got that qualifying tremble going on. Regardless of how many times you come here when you get a good lap it gets your attention."
Ryan Newman, was third fastest in the Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet matching a career best qualifying effort. Clint Bowyer's Michael Waltrip Toyota was fourth fastest, his best qualifying spot at the track.
Series point's leader, Greg Biffle will start seventh in a Roush Fenway Ford. His teammate, Matt Kenseth, who is second in the standings will start fifth.
Josh Wise and Cole Whitt did not qualify.
Or maybe he scared himself a little.
After Martin won his 54th career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole the ageless driver was out of breath when he was interviewed.
"I would never try that again," said Martin with a laugh. "I anticipated the car being loose, but I didn't ask Rodney (Childers, crew chief) if he tightened it up. I knew the conditions were looser than they were in our mock qualifying run yesterday and I didn't want to ask him because I didn't want to get concerned.
"I knew that I only had to make it one mile without wrecking and I was going to drive to the limit and slightly beyond and I felt like I did that."
Martin, who drives a Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing on a part time schedule averaged 158.297 mph (22.742 seconds), for his third pole of the season and fifth at Dover.
Even five-time Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson was shaking a little when he got out of his second place Chevrolet after a lap of 158.263 mph.
"Yeah, I've still got that qualifying tremble going on. Regardless of how many times you come here when you get a good lap it gets your attention."
Ryan Newman, was third fastest in the Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet matching a career best qualifying effort. Clint Bowyer's Michael Waltrip Toyota was fourth fastest, his best qualifying spot at the track.
Series point's leader, Greg Biffle will start seventh in a Roush Fenway Ford. His teammate, Matt Kenseth, who is second in the standings will start fifth.
Josh Wise and Cole Whitt did not qualify.