For the first time in seven years Kevin Harvick has a pole position award after setting the fastest time for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Harvick beat rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. In the qualifying runs to take his sixth pole position of his career, but the first since the 2006 at New Hampshire.
Six of the 13 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field qualified in the top 10.
That includes five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who will come off the grid third. Johnson won last week at Dover, but practice didn't go quite as well with a spin and then his Chevrolet lost power on the track and was smoking as the driver wheeled it off into the garage. The team thought it was a radiator/oil problem; the car's engine appeared to be in fine shape during qualifying.
Penske Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.
Australia's Marcos Ambrose tough run in qualifying of late continued with the Ford driver to start from 25th.
“Today we were just loose,” said Ambrose.
“The changes are extremely sensitive right now with this new tyre. Everyone is fighting it.
“Tomorrow will be different because the weather will change. We just have to focus on that and get ready for the race.”
QUALIFYING: Hollywood Casino 400
POS |
driver |
Car # |
Make |
Sponsor |
MPH |
Best Time |
Behind |
1 |
Kevin Harvick | 29 | Chevrolet | Budweiser | 187.526 | 28.796 | Leader |
2 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 17 | Ford | FORD ECO BOOST | 187.480 | 28.803 | –0.007 |
3 |
Jimmie Johnson | 48 | Chevrolet | Lowe's | 187.162 | 28.852 | –0.056 |
4 |
Brad Keselowski | 2 | Ford | Miller Lite | 186.233 | 28.996 | –0.200 |
5 |
Joey Logano | 22 | Ford | Shell Pennzoil | 186.168 | 29.006 | –0.210 |
6 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr | 88 | Chevrolet | Time Warner Cable | 186.072 | 29.021 | –0.225 |
7 |
Matt Kenseth | 20 | Toyota | Dollar General | 185.893 | 29.049 | –0.253 |
8 |
Paul Menard | 27 | Chevrolet | Menards / Splash | 185.874 | 29.052 | –0.256 |
9 |
Carl Edwards | 99 | Ford | Fastenal | 185.669 | 29.084 | –0.288 |
10 |
Denny Hamlin | 11 | Toyota | FedEx Office | 185.433 | 29.121 | –0.325 |
11 |
Brian Vickers | 55 | Toyota | Aaron's Dream Machine | 185.420 | 29.123 | –0.327 |
12 |
Juan Pablo Montoya | 42 | Chevrolet | Target | 185.261 | 29.148 | –0.352 |
13 |
Martin Truex Jr | 56 | Toyota | NAPA Auto Parts | 185.204 | 29.157 | –0.361 |
14 |
Jeff Gordon | 24 | Chevrolet | Axalta | 185.141 | 29.167 | –0.371 |
15 |
Kasey Kahne | 5 | Chevrolet | Time Warner Cable | 184.982 | 29.192 | –0.396 |
16 |
Jeff Burton | 31 | Chevrolet | Caterpillar | 184.925 | 29.201 | –0.405 |
17 |
Ryan Newman | 39 | Chevrolet | CODE 3 ASSOCIATES | 184.628 | 29.248 | –0.452 |
18 |
Kyle Busch | 18 | Toyota | M&M's | 184.603 | 29.252 | –0.456 |
19 |
Kurt Busch | 78 | Chevrolet | Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet | 184.477 | 29.272 | –0.476 |
20 |
Aric Almirola | 43 | Ford | Farmland | 184.382 | 29.287 | –0.491 |
21 |
Justin Allgaier | 51 | Chevrolet | Brandt | 184.106 | 29.331 | –0.535 |
22 |
Clint Bowyer | 15 | Toyota | Raspberry 5-Hour Energy benefiting Living Beyond Breast Cancer | 183.730 | 29.391 | –0.595 |
23 |
Mark Martin | 14 | Chevrolet | Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats | 183.667 | 29.401 | –0.605 |
24 |
Jamie McMurray | 1 | Chevrolet | CESSNA | 183.380 | 29.447 | –0.651 |
25 |
Marcos Ambrose | 9 | Ford | Mac Tools | 183.069 | 29.497 | –0.701 |
26 |
Greg Biffle | 16 | Ford | Sherwin-Williams | 182.803 | 29.540 | –0.744 |
27 |
David Reutimann | 83 | Toyota | Burger King-Dr. Pepper | 182.685 | 29.559 | –0.763 |
28 |
AJ Allmendinger | 47 | Toyota | Scott Products – Win My Car | 182.531 | 29.584 | –0.788 |
29 |
Danica Patrick | 10 | Chevrolet | GoDaddy | 182.039 | 29.664 | –0.868 |
30 |
Cole Whitt | 30 | Toyota | Swan Energy | 182.020 | 29.667 | –0.871 |
31 |
Michael McDowell | 98 | Ford | Phil Parsons Racing | 181.971 | 29.675 | –0.879 |
32 |
David Ragan | 34 | Ford | Taco Bell | 181.959 | 29.677 | –0.881 |
33 |
J.J. Yeley | 36 | Chevrolet | Accell Construction | 181.953 | 29.678 | –0.882 |
34 |
David Gilliland | 38 | Ford | Long John Silver's | 181.892 | 29.688 | –0.892 |
35 |
Timmy Hill | 32 | Ford | U.S. Chrome | 181.843 | 29.696 | –0.900 |
36 |
Travis Kvapil | 93 | Toyota | Burger King-Dr. Pepper | 181.830 | 29.698 | –0.902 |
37 |
Casey Mears | 13 | Ford | No. 13 GEICO Ford Fusion | 181.641 | 29.729 | –0.933 |
38 |
Josh Wise | 35 | Ford | MDS Transport | 180.614 | 29.898 | –1.102 |
39 |
Joe Nemechek | 87 | Toyota | Calvert's | 180.475 | 29.921 | –1.125 |
40 |
Reed Sorenson | 95 | Ford | SupportMilitary.org | 179.994 | 30.001 | –1.205 |
41 |
Dave Blaney | 7 | Chevrolet | Tommy Baldwin Racing | 179.844 | 30.026 | –1.230 |
42 |
Tony Raines | 40 | Chevrolet | Moon Shine Attitude Attire | 179.509 | 30.082 | –1.286 |
43 |
Landon Cassill | 33 | Chevrolet | Little Joe's Autos.com | 178.253 | 30.294 | –1.498 |