Harvick Wins Pole for Sunday's Cup Race at Michigan

Credit:  Getty Images for NASCAR

BROOKLYN, MI - RIS - Kevin Harvick continued his fast ways on Friday in winning the pole position for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Harvick posted a track-record average-lap speed of 204.557 mph in the final round of Friday’s knockout qualifying to win the pole for Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Harvick’s lap is the fastest qualifying lap recorded in NASCAR since Bill Elliott ran 212.809 mph in April 1987 at Talladega (Ala.) Superpspeedway, before NASCAR’s move to speed-reducing restrictor plates.

“The car has been really good since we unloaded off the truck, and we’ve had fast cars every week,” Harvick said. “This is a big race track and we have a fast car and it makes the driver’s job much easier.”

Harvick’s pole is his third this season – a statement for a driver who has started out front just nine times in his 14-year career.

“This format has been good for me,” he said. “Fast cars really solve a lot of problems.”

Harvick has been fast all season in his first-year ride with Stewart-Haas Motorsports. 

Jeff Gordon qualified second, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. third, Aric Almirola fourth, and Paul Menard fifth. 

Michigan Starting Lineup by Row:

Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
Row 1: 1 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet 35.198 204.557
2 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet 35.333 203.776
Row 2: 3 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/Superman Chevrolet 35.341 203.729
4 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 35.433 203.200
Row 3: 5 27 Paul Menard Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet 35.461 203.040
6 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 35.484 202.908
Row 4: 7 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 35.573 202.401
8 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 35.636 202.043
Row 5: 9 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 35.638 202.032
10 55 Brian Vickers Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota 35.762 201.331
Row 6: 11 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet 35.912 200.490
12 42 Kyle Larson # Target Chevrolet 35.800 201.117
Row 7: 13 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 35.843 200.876
14 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota 35.849 200.842
Row 8: 15 15 Clint Bowyer 5-Hour Energy Toyota 35.851 200.831
16 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Chevrolet 35.853 200.820
Row 9: 17 51 Justin Allgaier # CSS USA Airflow Systems Chevrolet 35.869 200.730
18 16 Greg Biffle 3M Military Salute Ford 35.907 200.518
Row 10: 19 3 Austin Dillon # Dow Chevrolet 35.918 200.457
20 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford 35.977 200.128
Row 11: 21 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 36.006 199.967
22 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford 36.084 199.534
Row 12: 23 21 Trevor Bayne(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 36.087 199.518
24 31 Ryan Newman Quicken Loans Chevrolet 36.151 199.165
Row 13: 25 47 AJ Allmendinger Charter Chevrolet 35.850 200.837
26 14 Tony Stewart Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet 35.918 200.457
Row 14: 27 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 35.919 200.451
28 12 Juan Pablo Montoya SKF Ford 35.961 200.217
Row 15: 29 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 36.012 199.933
30 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. EcoPower Oil Ford 36.045 199.750
Row 16: 31 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 36.069 199.617
32 38 David Gilliland Long John Silver's Ford 36.255 198.593
Row 17: 33 34 David Ragan Taco Bell Ford 36.259 198.571
34 66 Brett Moffitt Toyota Let's Go Places Toyota 36.300 198.347
Row 18: 35 44 JJ Yeley(i) All City Leasing & Warehousing Chevrolet 36.382 197.900
36 33 David Stremme Little Joe's Auto Chevrolet 36.425 197.666
Row 19: 37 7 Michael Annett # Pilot Flying J Chevrolet Owner Points
38 98 Josh Wise Phil Parsons Racing Chevrolet Owner Points
Row 20: 39 40 Landon Cassill(i) CRC Brakleen Chevrolet Owner Points
40 36 Reed Sorenson Theme Park Connection Chevrolet Owner Points
Row 21: 41 23 Alex Bowman # Dr.Pepper Toyota Owner Points
42 26 Cole Whitt # Speed Stick Gear Toyota Owner Points
Row 22: 43 32 Travis Kvapil Keenparts.com/Corvetteparts.net Ford Owner Points

(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series