NASCAR

NASCAR

Elliott captures pole at Bristol

BRISTOL, Tenn.

Chase Elliott earned his first pole on a short track with a fast lap around Bristol Motor Speedway in Friday qualifying.

Elliott turned a lap at 131.7132 mph Friday around the bullring to earn the fifth pole of his career. His previous four were at either Daytona or Talladega, the biggest and fastest tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

Elliott edged teammate William Byron for the top starting spot and an all-Hendrick Motorsports front row on Sunday.

Ryan Blaney qualified third in a Ford for Team Penske, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin in a pair of Toyotas.

Marlin to have brain procedure

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin has been undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery as part of his treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Marlin’s daughter, Sutherlin House, announced that Marlin completed the third of four surgery stages this week at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He began the surgery stages March 11.

Marlin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012.

The deep brain simulation surgery treatment involves the delivery of electrical pulses to brain cells in an attempt to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Recovery from the surgeries is expected to take three months, but can vary depending on the patient.

Marlin, 61, won consecutive Daytona 500 titles in 1994 and 1995.

Associated Press