Juan Montoya wins pole in Kansas, then loses it

Juan Montoya

2007 Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Juan Pablo Montoya grabbed first career pole Friday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Montoya turned a lap of 172.150 mph in his Chip Ganassi Racing Texaco Havoline Dodge but Montoya's lap and pole-winning run were disallowed when NASCAR officials found that the rear shocks on Montoya's car exceeded the maximum gas pressure allowed by the NASCAR rule book..

"We have been getting better and better every weekend," Montoya said, "but our results haven't shown it."

Jimmie Johnson, who starts the weekend only 10 points behind Carl Edwards for the Chase point lead and who will be looking for his first career Kansas Cup win, will start outside the front row in the Lowe's Chevrolet. The defending series champion.

"I think of Kansas and Chicago being very, very similar for tracks and for guys that you expect to see up front," he said of the Chase field's past problems at Kansas. "So with that in mind, I look for the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) and the No. 99 (Carl Edwards) and the No. 16 (Greg Biffle) has obviously shown that they’re ready for this Chase. But the track drives very similar to Chicago. I think this track is actually starting to get wider than Chicago first, and we have a true outside lane that works here and works well."

Sunday's Camping World RV 400 will take the green flag at 2 p.m. (ET).

Lineup