Brad Keselowski topped the time sheets during qualifying for the third last race of the NASCAR season at Texas Motor Speedway.
With a fastest lap of 316.927 km/h (196.929 mph), earning the Team Penske driver his 11th career pole. He was the man topping all three rounds of group qualifying.
“This is a good start but our ultimate goal is to be the fastest at the end of the race on Sunday,” said Keselowski.
“I am pumped about this race. Track position is important everywhere and here isn’t as much as maybe a few others because the track wears out and you see some comers and goers with the way the track wears out but we will still take it.”
Kevin Harvick will share the front row.
Kyle Busch and the man in the news after last week’s confrontation with Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano in fourth.
Click here to find out how.
The remaining Chase contenders ranked: Kurt Busch (seventh), Carl Edwards (13th), Jeff Gordon (18th) and Martin Truex Jr. (23rd). Gordon is the only driver who has locked up a spot in the Championship 4 thanks to his win last weekend at Martinsville Speedway.
On a big night for Matt Kenseth’s substitute Erik Jones; he qualified sixth for the Sprint Cup race, then went out and won the Truck Series race.
Joey Gase and Reed Sorenson failed to qualify for Sunday’s race.
VIDEO: Brad Keselowski speaks after qualifying
QUALIFYING: AAA Texas 500 – Texas Motor Speedway
| POS. | CAR # | DRIVER | MAKE | SPONSOR | MPH | TIME | GAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski |  |
Wurth | 196.929 | 27.421 | Leader |
| 2 | 4 | Kevin Harvick |  |
Budweiser / Jimmy John’s | 195.993 | 27.552 | –0.131 |
| 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch |  |
M&M’s Crispy | 195.716 | 27.591 | –0.170 |
| 4 | 22 | Joey Logano | |
AAA Insurance | 195.419 | 27.633 | –0.212 |
| 5 | 42 | Kyle Larson | |
Target Plaid | 195.341 | 27.644 | –0.223 |
| 6 | 20 | Erik Jones | |
DeWalt | 195.298 | 27.650 | –0.229 |
| 7 | 41 | Kurt Busch | |
Haas Automation | 194.988 | 27.694 | –0.273 |
| 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | |
Lowe’s | 194.890 | 27.708 | –0.287 |
| 9 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | |
FedEx Office | 194.665 | 27.740 | –0.319 |
| 10 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | |
KELLY BLUE BOOK | 194.475 | 27.767 | –0.346 |
| 11 | 10 | Danica Patrick | |
GoDaddy | 193.313 | 27.934 | –0.513 |
| 12 | 16 | Greg Biffle | |
Ortho Ford Fusion | 190.402 | 28.361 | –0.940 |
| 13 | 19 | Carl Edwards | |
Sport Clips | 195.341 | 27.644 | –0.223 |
| 14 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | |
Maxwell House | 195.327 | 27.646 | –0.225 |
| 15 | 55 | David Ragan | |
Aaron’s Online Dream Machine | 195.178 | 27.667 | –0.246 |
| 16 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | |
Farmers Insurance | 195.143 | 27.672 | –0.251 |
| 17 | 13 | Casey Mears | |
GEICO Military | 194.819 | 27.718 | –0.297 |
| 18 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | |
Axalta | 194.637 | 27.744 | –0.323 |
| 19 | 31 | Ryan Newman | |
Quicken Loans | 194.560 | 27.755 | –0.334 |
| 20 | 27 | Paul Menard | |
Schrock / Menards | 194.175 | 27.810 | –0.389 |
| 21 | 33 | Brian Scott | |
Shore Lodge | 194.175 | 27.810 | –0.389 |
| 22 | 14 | Tony Stewart | |
Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1 | 194.112 | 27.819 | –0.398 |
| 23 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr | |
Furniture Row/Visser Precision | 194.000 | 27.835 | –0.414 |
| 24 | 43 | Aric Almirola | |
Smithfield | 193.666 | 27.883 | –0.462 |
| 25 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | |
Snap-On Tools | 195.525 | 27.618 | –0.197 |
| 26 | 3 | Austin Dillon | |
Dow Packaging/H-E-B | 195.496 | 27.622 | –0.201 |
| 27 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | |
CESSNA | 195.334 | 27.645 | –0.224 |
| 28 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | |
Fastenal Ford Fusion | 195.157 | 27.670 | –0.249 |
| 29 | 6 | Trevor Bayne | |
Advocare Ford Fusion | 195.143 | 27.672 | –0.251 |
| 30 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger | |
Kroger/Scott Products | 194.735 | 27.730 | –0.309 |
| 31 | 7 | Alex Bowman | |
Nikko RC / Toy State | 194.644 | 27.743 | –0.322 |
| 32 | 9 | Sam Hornish Jr | |
Sonic | 194.623 | 27.746 | –0.325 |
| 33 | 95 | Michael McDowell | |
Tommy Williams Drywall | 193.472 | 27.911 | –0.490 |
| 34 | 26 | J.J. Yeley | |
Overture Promotions | 192.940 | 27.988 | –0.567 |
| 35 | 34 | Brett Moffitt | |
Visit Dallas | 192.651 | 28.030 | –0.609 |
| 36 | 40 | Landon Cassill | |
CRC/O’Reilly Auto Parts | 192.445 | 28.060 | –0.639 |
| 37 | 46 | Michael Annett | |
Pilot Flying J | 192.328 | 28.077 | –0.656 |
| 38 | 83 | Matt DiBenedetto | |
Dustless Blasting | 192.273 | 28.085 | –0.664 |
| 39 | 35 | Cole Whitt | |
Moen | 191.591 | 28.185 | –0.764 |
| 40 | 23 | Jeb Burton | |
Dr. Pepper/Estes | 191.537 | 28.193 | –0.772 |
| 41 | 38 | David Gilliland | |
Love’s Travel Stops | 191.245 | 28.236 | –0.815 |
| 42 | 98 | Ryan Preece | |
Xyience | 190.691 | 28.318 | –0.897 |
| 43 | 51 | Justin Allgaier | |
Texas Lottery | 189.587 | 28.483 | –1.062 |
| 44 | 32 | Joey Gase | |
ZAK PRODUCTS – DONATE LIFE TEXAS | 190.617 | 28.329 | –0.908 |
| 45 | 62 | Reed Sorenson | |
TBA | 187.865 | 28.744 | –1.323 |
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