Keselowski wins pole in Dover

Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski won his second Coors Light Pole Award of the 2014 season Friday at Dover International Speedway. Perhaps even more impressive, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion earned his eighth front-row start of the year.

Keselowski set a track record of 164.444 mph in the final round of multicar qualifying and will lead the field to green Sunday in the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks. It's the eighth time this year a track record has been set during Coors Light Pole Qualifying.

It's been that kind of season for Team Penske in NASCAR's new group qualifying format. With Joey Logano posting a speed of 163.688 mph, good enough for the No. 22 to start third, it marks the 10th time in 12 races for both Penske drivers that they advanced to the final round of qualifying.

Kyle Busch was closest to unseating Keselowski, and he prevented an all-Team Penske front row — which has happened twice this season. His speed of 163.785 mph puts him second.

Jimmie Johnson (163.362 mph), who has won eight times at Dover in 24 starts, and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Larson (163.080) round out the top five.

The remainder of the top 12, set by the final round of qualifying, is: Denny Hamlin (163.066 mph, sixth), Jeff Gordon (163.066 mph, same as Hamlin), Kevin Harvick (162.499 mph), Brian Vickers (162.411 mph), Clint Bowyer (162.243 mph), AJ Allmendinger (162.155 mph) and Greg Biffle (160.995 mph).
The group qualifying format consisted of a 30-minute first round that narrowed the field from 43 drivers to 12, then a 10-minute final round that set the top 12 positions.

Allmendinger posted the 12th fastest speed in the waning minutes of the first session. His rise knocked Dale Earnhardt Jr. from 12th to 13th, and forced Earnhardt Jr. to take his No. 88 Chevrolet back onto the track to try and get into the final round — his final lap came up short, though, and Junior will start Sunday's race 13th.

The FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, MRN).

Lineup

Pos # Driver Make Sponsor Speed Time Behind
1 2 B. Keselowski Ford Miller Lite 164.444 21.892 Leader
2 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M's Peanut Butter 163.785 21.980 0.088
3 22 Joey Logano Ford Shell Pennzoil 163.688 21.993 0.101
4 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's / Kobalt Tools 163.362 22.037 0.145
5 42 Kyle Larson Chevrolet Cottonelle 163.080 22.075 0.183
6 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Drive to End Hunger 163.066 22.077 0.185
7 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota Autism Speaks-FedEx Freight 163.066 22.077 0.185
8 4 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Budweiser 162.499 22.154 0.262
9 55 Brian Vickers Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine 162.411 22.166 0.274
10 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota Cherry 5-Hour ENERGY for Special Ops Warrior Foundation 162.243 22.189 0.297
11 47 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet Scott Products 162.155 22.201 0.309
12 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 160.995 22.361 0.469
13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet National Guard 162.933 22.095 0.203
14 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Caterpillar 162.903 22.099 0.207
15 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet Pittsburgh Paints / Menards 162.889 22.101 0.209
16 78 Martin Truex Jr Chevrolet Furniture Row 162.844 22.107 0.215
17 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet Farmers Insurance 162.690 22.128 0.236
18 66 Brett Moffitt Toyota Land Castle Title 162.602 22.140 0.248
19 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet CESSNA 162.580 22.143 0.251
20 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Code 3-Mobil 1 Chevrolet 162.550 22.147 0.255
21 20 Matt Kenseth Toyota Dollar General 162.536 22.149 0.257
22 13 Casey Mears Chevrolet No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS 162.250 22.188 0.296
23 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet American Ethanol 162.155 22.201 0.309
24 41 Kurt Busch Chevrolet Haas Automation 162.009 22.221 0.329
25 43 Aric Almirola Ford Smithfield 161.754 22.256 0.364
26 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Ford Nationwide 161.747 22.257 0.365
27 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford DeWalt 161.725 22.260 0.368
28 10 Danica Patrick Chevrolet GoDaddy 161.623 22.274 0.382
29 99 Carl Edwards Ford Subway 161.573 22.281 0.389
30 51 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet AccuDoc Solutions 160.887 22.376 0.484
31 26 Cole Whitt Toyota Burger King Toyota Camry 160.592 22.417 0.525
32 38 David Gilliland Ford The Pete Store 160.435 22.439 0.547
33 98 Josh Wise Chevrolet iRacing.com/Reddit.com 160.206 22.471 0.579
34 34 David Ragan Ford Dockside Logistics 159.419 22.582 0.690
35 23 Alex Bowman Toyota Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry 159.391 22.586 0.694
36 40 Landon Cassill Chevrolet Newtown Building Supplies 159.200 22.613 0.721
37 44 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Phoenix Warehouse 159.081 22.630 0.738
38 36 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet Click It or Ticket Chevrolet 159.046 22.635 0.743
39 7 Michael Annett Chevrolet Pilot Flying J Chevrolet 159.032 22.637 0.745
40 33 David Stremme Chevrolet Little Joe's Autos 158.569 22.703 0.811
41 83 Ryan Truex Toyota Burger King Toyota Camry 158.124 22.767 0.875
42 77 Dave Blaney Ford TBA 157.618 22.840 0.948
43 32 Blake Koch Ford SupportMilitary.org 156.359 23.024 1.132