Darnell, who shares driving duties with Sprint Cup regular David Ragan in the No.6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford this year, will start up front for the Northerntool.com 250 after lapping the one-mile oval at 121.980 m.p.h. (29.513 seconds). His first pole came in just his sixth start. Darnell is also a three-time pole winner in the Camping World Truck Series.

"We weren't very good (in practice), and we never made a mock run, so I didn't know what we were going to have when it came time for qualifying," Darnell said.

Brad Coleman claimed the outside pole with a lap at 121.716 m.p.h. (29.577 seconds) in his No.20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Brendan Gaughan qualified third, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Brad Keselowski.

Stephen Leicht, Scott Wimmer, Jason Leffler, Trevor Bayne and Johnny Sauter completed the top-10. Sauter qualified the No.18 Toyota for Kyle Busch, who arrived from Sonoma, CA in the midst of qualifying. Busch participated in the final Sprint Cup practice at Infineon Raceway.

Colin Braun placed Carl Edwards' No.60 Ford in the 11th starting position. Edwards, also attempting the Sonoma-Milwaukee double this weekend, is the defending race winner.

Busch and Edwards will both start from the rear of the field.

Ron Hornaday Jr. qualified 13th just hours after winning the 200-mile Truck Series race at Milwaukee. Hornaday will attempt to match Busch's feat of winning two NASCAR national series events on the same day. Busch won the Nationwide and Truck Series race at California earlier this year.

Morgan Shepherd, Kevin Lepage, Stanton Barrett and John Wes Townley failed to qualify.

Tonight's race is scheduled to start just after 8:30 p.m. (et).