NASCAR: Rookie Scott earns surprise Talladega Sprint Cup pole

Rookie Brian Scott emerged with a surprise NASCAR Sprint Cup pole position at Talladega as the new knockout qualifying system made its restrictor plate track debut.

With drafting being critical to pace at the large superspeedway, all three qualifying segments featured big packs of cars trying to work together. The five-minute pole shootout was almost a non-event as the 12 participants all sat in the pits until there were just two minutes to go, with no one willing to take the slowest spot at the head of the train.

Richard Childress protege Scott played things best and emerged on pole for Circle Sport, in only his fifth Cup event, having also topped the second part of qualifying. Fellow Childress man Paul Menard joins him on the front row. JTG Daugherty's AJ Allmendinger and Germain driver Casey Mears share row two.

The Chevrolet teams proved most adept at the format, with 11 of the 12 round three contenders driving for the marque. Stewart-Haas and Childress both got all their cars into the final part. Roush Fenway's Carl Edwards was the sole Ford interloper in 10th.

The leading Toyota was Michael Waltrip Racing's Brian Vickers back in 19th.

Joey Logano's run of reaching the final part of qualifying at every race since the new format was introduced ended as he was eliminated in round two and left in 16th on the grid.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of the previous plate track Cup round at Daytona in February, was among those who did not even get past the opening segment, qualifying 31st.

Originally on Autosport.com