Moffitt Surprises With Run – Earns second career NASCAR K&N East pole award

Moffitt Surprises With Run – Earns second career NASCAR K&N East pole award

LOUDON, N.H. — There may not have been anybody more surprised that Brett Moffitt earned the 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Light in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East qualifying Thursday than Moffitt himself.

After only being 21st fastest in practice earlier in the day, Moffitt rolled off a first lap of 30.356 seconds around the 1.058-mile oval for an average speed of 125.471 mph. Going out 29th out of 32 qualifiers for Friday’s New England 125, Moffitt was quick enough to knock New Hampshire native D.J. Shaw off the provisional pole.

Moffitt’s only other career pole came in his series debut in 2009 at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway. The 17-year-old from Grimes, Iowa, is coming off a win at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Shaw, whose father Dale has three wins at New Hampshire, will start on the outside of the front row after his lap of 30.430 (125.166). He started 17th in both races at New Hampshire last year.

Moffitt’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Max Gresham qualified third at 30.438 (125.133). Ryan Gifford and Ty Dillon rounded out the top five. Points leader Ryan Truex qualified sixth, followed by Kevin Swindell, Cole Whitt, Alan Tardiff and Miguel Paludo.

Green flag for the New England 125 is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m.