Joey Logano leads Penske Racing sweep in Chicago

Joey Logano

Joey Logano slipped into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, but he showed the speed that got him into the NASCAR postseason as he won the pole Friday for the Chase-opening Geico 400 on Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.

Logano, mired in controversy as he took advantage of apparent help from Michael Waltrip Racing (to in turn help Martin Truex Jr.) and from David Gilliland to make the Chase, put all that talk—and the announced Logano’s team would be on probation the remainder of the season—behind him as he turned a track-record lap of 189.414 miles per hour on the 1.5-mile oval.

“Hopefully, this helps prove (detractors) all wrong that we deserve to be here, because this 22 team has got what it takes and we've proven that all year long," Logano said. “I guess we have to do that for 10 more races and prove them wrong a little bit more."

Logano will be joined on the front row by his Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski (189.248), the 2012 Cup champion who didn’t make the Chase field.

“If you put someone talented enough like Joey is and really all of our teams and team members, you’re going to persevere through those things and you have to be able to (in order to) make it at the Cup level," Keselowski said.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who like Keselowski isn’t in the Chase, will start third.

Chase drivers made up six of the next seven spots Kasey Kahne, non-Chase driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

Gordon got into the Chase on Friday through a last-minute decision by NASCAR Chairman Brian France because he felt Gordon had been unfairly disadvantaged by teams attempting to manipulate the rules.

Other Chase driver starting positions: Kyle Busch (12th), Kurt Busch (16th), Kevin Harvick (17th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (18th), Ryan Neman (20th) and Clint Bowyer (24th).

Danica Patrick will start 23rd.

Only 43 drivers were entered, so all made the field.

The Cup teams have two practices scheduled for Saturday in preparation for the race Sunday.

Results

Lap length: 1.5 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 189.414 mph.
2. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 189.248.
3. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 189.062.
4. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 188.785.
5. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 188.772.
6. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 188.541.
7. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 188.515.
8. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 188.357.
9. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 188.304.
10. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 188.298.
11. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 188.298.
12. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.291.
13. (47) A J Allmendinger, Toyota, 188.278.
14. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 188.258.
15. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 188.127.
16. (78) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 188.075.
17. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 187.957.
18. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 187.878.
19. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 187.513.
20. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.207.
21. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 186.903.
22. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 186.812.
23. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 186.774.
24. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 186.754.
25. (55) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 186.445.
26. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 186.085.
27. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 185.88.
28. (30) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 185.778.
29. (14) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 185.765.
30. (36) J.J. Yeley, Chevrolet, 185.414.
31. (13) Casey Mears, Ford, 184.445.
32. (40) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 184.407.
33. (83) David Reutimann, Toyota, 184.376.
34. (35) Josh Wise, Ford, 184.344.
35. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 184.106.
36. (51) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 184.08.
37. (93) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, Owner Points.
38. (98) Michael McDowell, Ford, Owner Points.
39. (32) Timmy Hill, Ford, Owner Points.
40. (95) Reed Sorenson, Ford, Owner Points.
41. (7) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, Owner Points.
42. (87) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, Owner Points.
43. (33) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, Owner Points.