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    NASCAR at Texas 2018 Qualifying Results: Ryan Blaney Wins Pole Position

    Kyle Newport@@KyleNewportFeatured ColumnistNovember 2, 2018

    FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Accella/Carlisle Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 2, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
    Robert Laberge/Getty Images

    Ryan Blaney won the pole for Sunday's AAA Texas 500 after posting the top time during Friday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Clint Bowyer will join Blaney up front, with Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top five. 

    Below is a further look at Friday's action from the 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth.

    2018 AAA Texas 500 Qualifying Results

    1. Ryan Blaney (26.932 seconds)

    2. Clint Bowyer (26.969)

    3. Kevin Harvick (27.008)

    4. Aric Almirola (27.030)

    5. Brad Keselowski (27.064)

    6. Denny Hamlin (27.101)

    7. Kurt Busch (27.105)

    8. Joey Logano (27.124)

    9. William Byron (27.126)

    10. Kyle Busch (27.176)

    11. Paul Menard (27.279)

    12. Erik Jones (27.293)

    Full qualifying results available on NASCAR.com

            

    NASCAR at Texas 2018 Qualifying Results: Ryan Blaney Wins Pole Position
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    Recap

    With the fastest time at Texas Motor Speedway, Blaney captured his third pole of the season:

    Team Penske @Team_Penske

    Ryan @Blaney wins the pole at @TXMotorSpeedway! 🏁 #NASCARPlayoffs https://t.co/4EWkTjfEJe

    It marks his first pole since the Pocono 400 during the first Saturday in June.

    The No. 12 car was uncatchable on this day, having one of the best qualifying rounds on a 1.5-mile track ever. As Dan Beaver of NBC Sports noted, Blaney's speed of 200.505 mph for a 1.5-mile pole ranks second only to Kurt Busch's 200.915 set at Texas last November.

    The 24-year-old may be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but he isn't giving up on the season—he still wants to get some more wins:

    NASCAR @NASCAR

    "Even though we're out of the #NASCARPlayoffs, we want to go win races." It's all about the 🏁 for #BuschPole-winner @Blaney. https://t.co/Dc3DjqSVMF

    Winning the pole gives Blaney a great opportunity to capture his first AAA Texas 500 crown. He finished sixth in last year's running.

    Meanwhile, last year's winner, Kevin Harvick, is in good position to defend his title. He finished just behind Blaney at 27.008, good enough for third.

    Kyle Busch, who holds a 21-point lead over Martin Truex Jr. and Harvick for first place in playoff points, will start back in the pack a bit. The No. 18 car will start in 10th place.

    Busch is not the only playoff contender with some work to do, though. Truex (13th) and Chase Elliott (16th) each failed to reach the third and final round of qualifying.

    The 2018 AAA Texas 500 is scheduled to get underway at Texas Motor Speedway at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday after two rounds of practice Saturday afternoon.