For the fifth time in 2015 Joey Logano will start from pole after he set the fastest time in the final round of qualifying at Richmond.
In what is the final race of the season before the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the Penske Ford driver edged the Gibbs Racing Toyota of Matt Kenseth.
In the third and final round of knockout qualifying at the .75-mile short track, Logano covered the distance in 21.349 seconds to earn the 13th pole of his career and his 10th front-row starting spot in 26 races this season.
Kenseth, who was fastest in the opening two rounds was only .001 seconds faster than Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski.
Kyle Busch qualified fourth, followed by David Ragan; the fastest of a group of drivers who can earn a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup only by winning at Richmond.
Three other drivers who must win to make the Chase — Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon — will start 10th through 12th.
Timmy Hill and Josh Wise failed to make the 43-car field.
QUALIFYING: Federated Auto Parts 400 – Richmond International Raceway
| POS. | CAR # | DRIVER | MANUFACTURER | SPONSOR | MPH | BEST TIME | BEHIND |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano |  |
Shell Pennzoil | 126.470 | 21.349 | Leader |
| 2 | 20 | Matt Kenseth |  |
Dollar General | 126.357 | 21.368 | –0.019 |
| 3 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | |
Miller Lite | 126.351 | 21.369 | –0.020 |
| 4 | 18 | Kyle Busch | |
M&M’s Crispy / American Heritage Chocolate | 125.950 | 21.437 | –0.088 |
| 5 | 55 | David Ragan | |
Aaron’s Online Dream Machine | 125.827 | 21.458 | –0.109 |
| 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick |  |
Budweiser / Jimmy John’s | 125.798 | 21.463 | –0.114 |
| 7 | 19 | Carl Edwards | |
Arris | 125.733 | 21.474 | –0.125 |
| 8 | 41 | Kurt Busch | |
Haas Automation | 125.488 | 21.516 | –0.167 |
| 9 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | |
Lowe’s | 125.406 | 21.530 | –0.181 |
| 10 | 14 | Tony Stewart | |
Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1 | 125.278 | 21.552 | –0.203 |
| 11 | 42 | Kyle Larson | |
Target | 125.232 | 21.560 | –0.211 |
| 12 | 3 | Austin Dillon | |
Dow | 125.174 | 21.570 | –0.221 |
| 13 | 31 | Ryan Newman | |
Caterpillar | 126.334 | 21.372 | –0.023 |
| 14 | 10 | Danica Patrick | |
GoDaddy | 126.310 | 21.376 | –0.027 |
| 15 | 13 | Casey Mears | |
No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS | 126.198 | 21.395 | –0.046 |
| 16 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr | |
Furniture Row/Visser Precision | 126.133 | 21.406 | –0.057 |
| 17 | 33 | Brian Scott | |
Shore Lodge | 126.027 | 21.424 | –0.075 |
| 18 | 51 | Justin Allgaier | |
Brandt | 125.939 | 21.439 | –0.090 |
| 19 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | |
Cargill Ford Fusion | 125.880 | 21.449 | –0.100 |
| 20 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | |
HendrickRideAlong.com | 125.839 | 21.456 | –0.107 |
| 21 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger | |
Kroger/Bush’s Beans | 125.786 | 21.465 | –0.116 |
| 22 | 27 | Paul Menard | |
Libman / Menards | 125.710 | 21.478 | –0.129 |
| 23 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | |
3M | 125.599 | 21.497 | –0.148 |
| 24 | 43 | Aric Almirola | |
Smithfield Foods / Waffle House | 125.529 | 21.509 | –0.160 |
| 25 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | |
FedEx Express | 127.101 | 21.243 | -0.106 |
| 26 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | |
5-Hour Energy | 127.095 | 21.244 | -0.105 |
| 27 | 46 | Michael Annett | |
Switch Hitch | 127.095 | 21.244 | -0.105 |
| 28 | 6 | Trevor Bayne | |
Advocare Ford Fusion | 127.059 | 21.250 | -0.099 |
| 29 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | |
Nationwide | 126.820 | 21.290 | -0.059 |
| 30 | 38 | David Gilliland | |
The Pete Store | 126.784 | 21.296 | -0.053 |
| 31 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | |
CESSNA | 126.493 | 21.345 | -0.004 |
| 32 | 9 | Sam Hornish Jr | |
Go Bowling/Draft Kings | 126.280 | 21.381 | –0.032 |
| 33 | 83 | Matt DiBenedetto | |
James Madison University | 126.280 | 21.381 | –0.032 |
| 34 | 35 | Cole Whitt | |
MDS | 125.992 | 21.430 | –0.081 |
| 35 | 40 | Landon Cassill | |
Precon Marine/Interstate Moving Services | 125.915 | 21.443 | –0.094 |
| 36 | 7 | Alex Bowman | |
Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet | 125.903 | 21.445 | –0.096 |
| 37 | 34 | Brett Moffitt | |
Dockside | 125.564 | 21.503 | –0.154 |
| 38 | 16 | Greg Biffle | |
Cheez-It Ford Fusion | 125.244 | 21.558 | –0.209 |
| 39 | 95 | Michael McDowell | |
Thrivent Financial | 124.890 | 21.619 | –0.270 |
| 40 | 98 | Reed Sorenson | |
Premium Motorsports | 124.671 | 21.657 | –0.308 |
| 41 | 23 | Jeb Burton | |
Estes | 124.098 | 21.757 | –0.408 |
| 42 | 32 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | |
BeerFrost.com/CorvetteParts.com | 124.041 | 21.767 | –0.418 |
| 43 | 26 | J.J. Yeley | |
Maxim | 123.530 | 21.857 | –0.508 |
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