Tagliani takes Nationwide pole in Montreal

Aug 17, 2012 - 11:52 PM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Montreal-native Alex Tagliani will start on the pole for Saturday's NAPA Auto Parts 200 Nationwide Series race after topping the charts in qualifying at his home track, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Tagliani made a lap around the 2.71-mile road course in 1 minute, 40.865 seconds for his first Nationwide pole in his fourth start. Last year, the Canadian started and finished second in front of his home crowd. He is driving the No. 30 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports.

Sam Hornish Jr. will lineup next to Tagliani on the front row after posting a lap in 1:40.905. Hornish Jr. won the pole for last weekend's road-course race at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve qualified third after winning the pole at Montreal one year ago. Danica Patrick took the fourth spot, and Owen Kelly completed the top-five. Kelly practiced and qualified the No. 54 Toyota for Kyle Busch, who was at Michigan International Speedway for Sprint Cup Series qualifying.

Michael McDowell, Cole Whitt, Ron Fellows, Billy Johnson and Brian Scott qualified sixth through 10th, respectively.

Elliott Sadler, the current points leader, will start 17th, one spot behind Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who trails Sadler by 13 points.

Ryan Ellis was the only driver who failed to qualify for the 74-lap race, which is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. (ET).