Atlanta NASCAR: Ricky Stenhouse Jr claims first Cup pole

Unlike most rivals, Stenhouse chose to run low on the racetrack for his pole shot.

The tactic paid off as he usurped Roush Fenway team-mate Carl Edwards with a 189.688mph/29.227s lap, taking pole by a tenth of a second.

On the day that his Earnhardt Ganassi replacement was revealed as Kyle Larson, Juan Pablo Montoya qualified third fastest.

Denny Hamlin joins him on row two, followed by Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr - who is driving with a fractured wrist this weekend.

Championship leader Jimmie Johnson starts 10th.

After his run of strong qualifying results, Kurt Busch could only manage 32nd this time.

Pos  Driver              Team/Car                     Time     Gap
 1.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr  Roush Fenway Ford            29.227s
 2.  Carl Edwards        Roush Fenway Ford            29.330s  +0.103s
 3.  Juan Pablo Montoya  Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet  29.405s  +0.178s
 4.  Denny Hamlin        Joe Gibbs Toyota             29.406s  +0.179s
 5.  Jeff Gordon         Hendrick Chevrolet           29.481s  +0.254s
 6.  Matt Kenseth        Joe Gibbs Toyota             29.492s  +0.265s
 7.  Martin Truex Jr     Waltrip Toyota               29.499s  +0.272s
 8.  Dale Earnhardt Jr   Hendrick Chevrolet           29.565s  +0.338s
 9.  Kyle Busch          Joe Gibbs Toyota             29.570s  +0.343s
10.  Jimmie Johnson      Hendrick Chevrolet           29.572s  +0.345s
11.  Joey Logano         Penske Ford                  29.580s  +0.353s
12.  Clint Bowyer        Waltrip Toyota               29.616s  +0.389s
13.  AJ Allmendinger     JTG Daugherty Toyota         29.646s  +0.419s
14.  David Ragan         Front Row Ford               29.658s  +0.431s
15.  Jamie McMurray      Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet  29.689s  +0.462s
16.  Paul Menard         Childress Chevrolet          29.699s  +0.472s
17.  Ryan Newman         Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       29.714s  +0.487s
18.  Kasey Kahne         Hendrick Chevrolet           29.719s  +0.492s
19.  Casey Mears         Germain Ford                 29.731s  +0.504s
20.  Marcos Ambrose      Petty Ford                   29.760s  +0.533s
21.  Danica Patrick      Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       29.789s  +0.562s
22.  Brian Vickers       Waltrip Toyota               29.829s  +0.602s
23.  Brad Keselowski     Penske Ford                  29.851s  +0.624s
24.  Greg Biffle         Roush Fenway Ford            29.872s  +0.645s
25.  David Stremme       Swan Toyota                  29.903s  +0.676s
26.  Austin Dillon       Childress Chevrolet          29.914s  +0.687s
27.  Mark Martin         Stewart-Haas Chevrolet       29.929s  +0.702s
28.  Jeff Burton         Childress Chevrolet          29.957s  +0.730s
29.  Aric Almirola       Petty Ford                   29.986s  +0.759s
30.  Kevin Harvick       Childress Chevrolet          30.011s  +0.784s
31.  David Gilliland     Front Row Ford               30.045s  +0.818s
32.  Kurt Busch          Furniture Row Chevrolet      30.049s  +0.822s
33.  Josh Wise           Front Row Ford               30.072s  +0.845s
34.  David Reutimann     BK Toyota                    30.175s  +0.948s
35.  Scott Speed         Leavine Ford                 30.337s  +1.110s
36.  Dave Blaney         Baldwin Chevrolet            30.392s  +1.165s
37.  Travis Kvapil       BK Toyota                    30.426s  +1.199s
38.  Mike Bliss          Phoenix Chevrolet            30.473s  +1.246s
39.  Landon Cassill      Hillman Chevrolet            30.550s  +1.323s
40.  Joe Nemechek        NEMCO Toyota                 30.593s  +1.366s
41.  Timmy Hill          FAS Lane Ford                30.863s  +1.636s
42.  JJ Yeley            Baldwin Chevrolet            30.994s  +1.767s
43.  Michael McDowell    Parsons Ford