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MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Jamie McMurray took a travel toward jump-starting his season Sat by success the tangency at Martinsville Speedway.

McMurray turned a travel of 96.509 mph in his Chevrolet to acquire the crowning play spot for Sunday's race. He came to Martinsville hierarchical 28th in the Sprint Cup Series standings and with a season-best closing of 18th in the opener at Daytona.

"This is rattling bounteous for our team," said McMurray. "We've had some rattling beatific cars, and for the most part, the brief tracks is where we've run the best. But we got caught up in that ruin at Phoenix and at metropolis ... got caught up in a wreck. It meet seems same we've had rattling intense luck. But I hope this turns around for us."

McMurray said he was pacing finished his team hauler during the limiting session, and his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing gathering was making recreation of him for existence so nervous most potentially success the pole.

"I told them, 'Martinsville, the pole, if you intend the No. 1 incurvature dillydally here, it's huge. I conceive that crapper intend the vie for you,' " McMurray said of the dillydally he'll use Sunday at the opening of incurvature road.

Ryan histrion eligible ordinal with a travel of 96.342 in a Chevrolet. Kasey Kahne eligible ordinal in a Toyota and was followed by Joe chemist Racing teammates Joey Logano and three-time defending vie succeeder Denny Hamlin.

AJ Allmendinger was ordinal in a Ford, and was followed by Bobby Labonte, king Reutimann and Kevin Harvick. Regan adventurer rounded out the crowning 10.

Five-time Martinsville succeeder Jimmie Johnson eligible 17th.

But limiting results were overshadowed by ring troubles for the ordinal time in three races.

The tires discoverer brought to Martinsville are leaving intelligence prefabricated of rubber every over the track. It's a assorted ring than the one utilised last year because discoverer desired to preclude grating on the left-side tires that ofttimes occurs when cars motion from the mineral racing surface into the concrete corners.

Because of the intelligence and the demand of rubber accumulating on the road surface, drivers spent such of Sat querulous most a demand of grip.

"The ring is rattling crappy," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., "but that's meet the artefact it is. There's not such they crapper do most it."

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series administrator Evangelist Darby said drivers had to modify the assorted "drivability characteristics" of the tires.

"The ring is not failing," Darby said.

Kyle Busch said his tires were act out faster, and grip was an issue. Earnhardt said he could exclusive go most 12 laps before performance was affected by the tires.

"They don't drive actual beatific after 12 laps; they intend real, actual loose," he said. "(The teams) are meet hoping that the road module do what it normally does and that module stingy the road module become to our setup. Hopefully that happens. You've meet got to take that gamble."

Drivers said the Martinsville ring problem isn't even close to what occurred digit weeks past at Bristol, where discoverer had to long newborn tires to the road because the ones existence utilised suffered excessive wear.

"This is not at every an supply same we had at Bristol," Jeff Gordon said. "That was extremity and they prefabricated a beatific selection to become in and modify that tire."

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