Catchfence

Denny Hamlin captured his seventh career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award, as he ran a qualifying lap speed of 183.870 mph, for Sunday’s Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway.

This was Hamlin’s fist series pole of the 2009 season, his first at Auto Club Speedway and his first pole since May 3, 2008 at Richmond International Raceway.

Sharing the front row with Hamlin will be David Reutimann, who ran a speed of 183.108 mph, and they will be followed by Greg Biffle (182.704) who was third fastest, Jimmie Johnson (182.635) fourth, Juan Pablo Montoya (182.315) fifth, Martin Truex Jr. (182.246) sixth, Joey Logano (182.223) seventh, Kevin Harvick (182.182) eighth, Clint Bowyer (182.002) ninth and the current series points leader Mark Martin (181.979) rounds out the top-10 starting positions.

Failing to make the field were the #37 of Tony Raines and the #64 of Mike Wallace.

The teams will return Saturday for two practice sessions (10:30 AM – 11:15 AM (PST)/1:30 PM – 2:15 PM (EST) & “Happy Hour” @ 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM (PST)/2:45 PM – 3:45 PM, before they go racing on Sunday at 12:15 PM (PST)/3:15 PM (EST).

2009 Pepsi 500 NSCS Starting Lineup

Pos	Car	Driver	Team	Time	Speed
1	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Ground Toyota	39.158	183.87
2	0	David Reutimann	Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota	39.321	183.108
3	16	Greg Biffle	3M/Scotch-Blue Ford	39.408	182.704
4	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet	39.423	182.635
5	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet	39.492	182.315
6	1	Martin Truex Jr.	Guitar Hero 5 Chevrolet	39.507	182.246
7	20	Joey Logano #	Home Depot Toyota	39.512	182.223
8	29	Kevin Harvick	Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet	39.521	182.182
9	33	Clint Bowyer	Prilosec OTC-Walmart Chevrolet	39.56	182.002
10	5	Mark Martin	Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet	39.565	181.979
11	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet	39.622	181.717
12	99	Carl Edwards	Aflac Ford	39.638	181.644
13	44	A J Allmendinger	Dassault Systemes Dodge	39.687	181.42
14	87	Joe Nemechek	NEMCO Motorsports Toyota	39.695	181.383
15	12	David Stremme	No. 12 Penske Dodge Dodge	39.703	181.346
16	13	Max Papis #	GEICO Toyota	39.712	181.305
17	7	Casey Mears	Jack Daniel's Chevrolet	39.732	181.214
18	17	Matt Kenseth	R&L Carriers Ford	39.749	181.137
19	31	Jeff Burton	Caterpillar Chevrolet	39.758	181.096
20	18	Kyle Busch	M&M's Toyota	39.772	181.032
21	14	Tony Stewart	Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet	39.786	180.968
22	82	Scott Speed #	Red Bull Toyota	39.791	180.945
23	77	Sam Hornish Jr.	Mobil 1 Dodge	39.808	180.868
24	9	Mike Bliss	Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge	39.813	180.845
25	2	Kurt Busch	Miller Lite Dodge	39.829	180.773
26	9	Kasey Kahne	Budweiser Dodge	39.836	180.741
27	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet	39.856	180.65
28	47	Marcos Ambrose	Little Debbie/Kingsford/Clorox Toyota	39.86	180.632
29	43	Reed Sorenson	Rosie Organic Chicken Dodge	39.869	180.591
30	26	Jamie McMurray	Crown Royal Ford	39.884	180.524
31	71	David Gilliland	TRG Motorsports Chevrolet	39.884	180.524
32	6	David Ragan	UPS Ford	39.887	180.51
33	83	Brian Vickers	Red Bull Toyota	39.936	180.288
34	66	Dave Blaney	PRISM Motorsports Toyota	39.968	180.144
35	55	Michael Waltrip	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota	40.02	179.91
36	96	Bobby Labonte	DLP Ford	40.073	179.672
37	39	Ryan Newman	Haas Automation Chevrolet	40.163	179.269
38	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet	40.192	179.14
39	7	Robby Gordon	Jim Beam Toyota	40.337	178.496
40	19	Elliott Sadler	Stanley Tools Dodge	40.365	178.372
41	34	John Andretti	Taco Bell Chevrolet	40.383	178.293
42	98	Paul Menard	Energizer/Menards Ford	Owner Points
43	36	Michael McDowell	Wave Energy Drink Toyota	40.216	179.033