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 |