Mark Martin's final push for a spot in NASCAR's Chase for the championship will start from the best spot in the field. Martin turned a lap of 126.808 mph in qualifying Friday at Richmond International Raceway, edging Martin Truex Jr., whose lap came at 126.731 mph. Martin's sixth pole of the season matched his career best, set 20 years ago in 1989, and was his fourth on the 0.75-mile oval. It also was the 47th pole position of his career. Martin will start the race 10th in driver points – just one ahead of 11th-place Greg Biffle, 49 ahead of Matt Kenseth and 69 ahead of Brian Vickers, who is 13th. The top four spots in the playoffs are already clinched, and 11 drivers are vying for the last eight. Of the others with a chance to get in, Vickers will start sixth; Kyle Busch, 37 points behind, starts eighth; and David Reutimann 23rd. Biffle has his work cut out for him after qualifying 24th.
