Pastrana sets fast time at Talladega

Travis Pastrana’s first full year in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series has been filled with ups and downs.

Maybe the biggest up of the the 2013 season came Friday at Talladega Superspeedway when he won the pole for Saturday’s Aaron’s 312.

Running a lap averaging over 176 mph around the 2.66-mile tri-oval, Pastrana won the first pole of his young NASCAR career at the sport’s biggest track.

The pole was also the first for Pastrana’s Roush Fenway Racing team at Talladega Superspeedway in the Nationwide Series.

The former action sports star will share the front row Saturday with 2012 Nationwide Rookie of the Year Austin Dillon.

Roush Fenway Racing teammate Trevor Bayne will start behind Pastrana in third, with Danica Patrick starting fourth driving for Tuner Scott Motorsports.

Justin Allgaier, Sam Hornish, Jr., Elliott Sadler, Brian Scott, Kurt Busch and John Wes Townley rounded out the top-10 starters for Saturday’s race.

However, Townley’s qualifying time was disallowed by NASCAR. Since Townley’s Venturini Motorsports team wasn’t high enough in owner’s points, his qualifying time was the only way he could make it into the starting field.

Townley’s No.25 Toyota was found to be “too low” in post-qualifying inspection.

Tim Andrews, substituting for the concussed Dexter Stacey, replaces Townley’s entry in the 40-car starting field.

Aaron’s 312 Starting Lineup 

1. Travis Pastrana 
2. Austin Dillon
3. Trevor Bayne
4. Danica Patrick
5. Justin Allgaier
6. Sam Hornish Jr.
7. Elliott Sadler
8. Brian Scott
9. Kurt Busch
10. Joey Coulter
11. Kasey Kahne
12. Joey Logano
13. Jeff Green
14. Alex Bowman
15. Reed Sorenson
16. Nelson Piquet Jr.
17. Ty Dillon
18. Parker Kligerman
19. Kyle Larson
20. Regan Smith
21. Brian Vickers
22. Landon Cassill
23. Eric McClure
24. Mike Bliss
25. Johanna Long
26. Bobby Gerhart
27. Jeffrey Earnhardt
28. Mike Harmon
29. Jamie Dick
30. Joe Nemechek
31. Jason White
32. Hal Martin
33. Robert Richardson Jr.
34. Blake Koch
35. Morgan Shepard
36. Donnie Neuenberger
37. Jeremy Clements
38. Mike Wallace
39. Josh Wise
40. Tim Andrews