MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Ryan Preece already has one grandfather clock from Martinsville Speedway. He’s in a prime spot to get another.
The NASCAR Cup Series driver earned the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award in Thursday’s Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200 qualifying at the flat half-mile in record time. Preece qualified for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour opener in the No. 6 Riverhead Raceway Chevrolet in 18.607 seconds (101.768 mph).
He broke the track mark set by Greg Sacks in 1986 of 101.014. Preece won the 2008 tour race at Martinsville. It’s the 17th career pole for Preece, the 2013 tour champion.
RELATED: Ryan Preece Career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour stats
Fellow NASCAR Cup driver Ryan Newman, who was fastest in the afternoon practice, qualified second at 18.676 (101.392). Tour regular Eric Goodale was third quick at 18.755 (100.965).
Tommy Catalano qualified fourth and Woody Pitkat fifth.
RELATED: Complete qualifying results
Kyle Ebersole, defending tour champion Justin Bonsignore, Jon McKennedy, Patrick Emerling and Tyler Rypkema rounded out the top 10.
The Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200 will go green at 8 p.m. ET on TrackPass on NBC Gold and MRN Radio.