Gordon Wins Vegas Pole

Credit:  isaac Brekken/AP

LAS VEGAS, NV - RIS - Jeff Gordon continued his fast qualifying speeds in 2015, as he will sit on the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gordon has won poles at two of the first three races in 2015.  It is the last year Gordon will compete in the Sprint Cup Series.

Covering the 1.5-mile distance in 27.738 seconds (194.679 mph), Gordon shaved .201 seconds off the track record Joey Logano set last year. Logano (194.315 mph) was second to Gordon in Friday's qualifying during a third and final round that saw nine drivers break the track record.

"Oh, boys, this is good!" Gordon said after setting the record. "That was a damn good lap."

The pole was Gordon's second of the season and the 79th of his career. The top qualifier for the season-opening Daytona 500, Gordon did not make a qualifying run in last week's  race at Atlanta because his No. 24 Chevrolet didn't clear inspection in time.

Gordon's teammates, Kasey Kahne (194.287 mph) and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.(194.091 mph), qualified third and fourth, respectively. Sophomore driver Kyle Larson (193.959 mph) grabbed the fifth spot on the grid.

The reigning series champion Kevin Harvick will start 18th, having failed to make the final 12 at a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway for the first time since last year's Las Vegas race. 

NASCAR officials pulled the No. 2 Ford of last year's Las Vegas race winner, Brad Keselowski, after noticing the team had flared out both rear fenders on the car. Before the start of the season, NASCAR informed teams that manipulating the car bodies would not be permitted.

Keselowski's car had to clear inspection an additional time before being allowed to qualify. Still, Keselowski made the final 12 and earned the 11th starting spot for Sunday's race.

Sunday's starting lineup:

Driver Date Time Speed
Track Race Record: Brad Keselowski 03/09/14 02:35:24 154.633
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
Row 1: 1 24 Jeff Gordon 3M Chevrolet 27.738 194.679
2 22 Joey Logano Pennzoil Platinum Ford 27.790 194.315
Row 2: 3 5 Kasey Kahne Time Warner Cable Chevrolet 27.794 194.287
4 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet 27.822 194.091
Row 3: 5 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 27.841 193.959
6 20 Matt Kenseth DeWalt Toyota 27.888 193.632
Row 4: 7 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 27.906 193.507
8 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Chevrolet 27.923 193.389
Row 5: 9 48 Jimmie Johnson Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 27.931 193.334
10 1 Jamie McMurray CESSNA Chevrolet 27.963 193.112
Row 6: 11 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 28.044 192.555
12 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 28.083 192.287
Row 7: 13 18 David Ragan M&M's Crispy Toyota 28.025 192.685
14 19 Carl Edwards Comcast Business Toyota 28.048 192.527
Row 8: 15 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 28.056 192.472
16 16 Greg Biffle Cheez-It Ford 28.063 192.424
Row 9: 17 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 28.082 192.294
18 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John's/Budweiser Chevrolet 28.084 192.280
Row 10: 19 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota 28.157 191.782
20 15 Clint Bowyer 5-Hour Energy Toyota 28.159 191.768
Row 11: 21 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 28.195 191.523
22 47 AJ Allmendinger Clorox Chevrolet 28.222 191.340
Row 12: 23 33 Brian Scott(i) Whitetail Chevrolet 28.337 190.564
24 27 Paul Menard Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet 28.422 189.994
Row 13: 25 3 Austin Dillon DOW Energy & Water Chevrolet 28.368 190.355
26 51 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet 28.426 189.967
Row 14: 27 7 Alex Bowman Nikko/Toy State Chevrolet 28.429 189.947
28 55 Brian Vickers Aaron's60thAnnivDreamMachine Toyota 28.448 189.820
Row 15: 29 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank/Camping World Ford 28.462 189.727
30 21 Ryan Blaney(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 28.504 189.447
Row 16: 31 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 28.518 189.354
32 95 Michael McDowell KLOVE Radio Ford 28.524 189.314
Row 17: 33 46 Michael Annett Cypress Chevrolet 28.537 189.228
34 41 Regan Smith(i) Haas Automation Chevrolet 28.539 189.215
Row 18: 35 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 28.571 189.003
36 34 Brett Moffitt Shaw's Southern Belle Seafood Ford 28.649 188.488
Row 19: 37 38 David Gilliland Love's Travel Stops Ford Owner Points
38 35 Cole Whitt Speed Stick Ford Owner Points
Row 20: 39 98 Josh Wise Phil Parsons Racing Ford Owner Points
40 23 JJ Yeley(i) Dr. Pepper Toyota Owner Points
Row 21: 41 26 Jeb Burton # MaximFantasySports.com Toyota Owner Points
42 40 Landon Cassill(i) Carsforsale.com Chevrolet Owner Points
Row 22: 43 62 Brendan Gaughan(i) South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Owner Points