Sparta, KY (Sports Network) - Rookie Austin Dillon will start on the pole for Saturday's 300-mile Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

Dillon ran a lap at 177.264 mph for his third pole of the season, including his second at this 1.5-mile racetrack in Northern Kentucky.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the current points leader and defending series champion, will start alongside Dillon on the front row after turning a lap at 175.399 mph. Sam Hornish Jr. qualified third, followed by Drew Herring and Michael Annett.

Brendan Gaughan, Brian Scott, Elliott Sadler, Alex Bowman and Justin Allgaier completed the top-10.

Danica Patrick will start 11th.

Stenhouse enters this race with a nine-point lead over Sadler and a 34-point advantage over Dillon.

All 43 drivers who attempted qualifying made the starting field for the Kentucky 300, which is scheduled to start just after 4 p.m. (ET).

09/22 14:24:01 ET