NCWTS: Speed Stays in Texas; Crafton Wins Pole for WinStar World Casino 350

FORT WORTH, Tex. — official series release — Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images North America photo —

Matt Crafton landed the Keystone Light Pole Award in Friday afternoon qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Crafton, the two-time defending series champion and last weekend’s winner at Martinsville Speedway, drove the ThorSport Racing No. 88 Toyota to a pole-winning lap of 181.397 mph on the 1.5-mile track. His third pole of the season was his third at Texas and the 10th of his truck series career.

Spencer Gallagher, who posted a 180.953 mph lap in the GMS Racing No. 23 Chevrolet, will start second in Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, SiriusXM). Rookies Daniel Hemric and Brandon Jones will make up the second row, qualifying third and fourth respectively.

Series leader Erik Jones qualified fifth in the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 Toyota, carrying a 10-point lead over Crafton entering the 21st of 23 races this season. Tyler Reddick will start 17th and ranks third, just 13 points off the top.

Jeb Burton, making his first truck start of the season, qualified eighth in the JR Motorsports No. 00 Chevrolet.

Crafton was fastest in the first of two rounds of single-truck qualifying with a best lap of 181.056 mph. Johnny Sauter, his ThorSport teammate, just missed the 12-driver cutoff for the final round, turning the 13th-best lap in the No. 98 Toyota.

Tyler Young’s first-round qualifying attempt ended early when his No. 02 Chevrolet erupted with smoke under the hood. No drivers failed to qualify for the 32-truck field.

RESULTS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying; Texas Motor Speedway; November 6, 2015: