Keselowski Wins Richmond Cup Pole

Steve Helber/AP

RICHMOND, VA - RIS - Brad Keslowski won the Busch Pole for Sunday's Monster Energy Cup Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.  Felow Ford driver Kevin Harvick will start second.

I was Keselowski's second career pole at Richmond and the 17th of his career with a lap at 127.185 miles per hour. It will be his 16th top-10 start in 28 races this year, and he’ll be looking to match his performance in 2014 when he won here from the pole position.

“The car drove very, very well,” Keselowski said, adding that he didn’t participate in the two daytime practice sessions because the conditions were going to be so different with the sun not quite so high in the sky. “We’ve had exceptional short-run speed here the last few times, again this weekend, but then the races seem to be playing out with long runs.

“If we can just hold on with the short-run speed we have on the long runs, we’ll be in good shape for this weekend.”

Time Trial Results: 62nd Annual Federated Auto Parts 400, Richmond Raceway

Track Qualifying Record: Jeff Gordon, 09/07/13 20.674 sec, 130.599 mph

Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, Lap #, # Laps, -Fastest, -Next
1) Brad Keselowski (P), No. 2 Discount Tire Ford, 21.229 sec, 127.185 mph, 2, 2, 0.000, 0.000
2) Kevin Harvick (P), No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford, 21.334, 126.559, 2, 2, 0.105, 0.105
3) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet, 21.399, 126.174, 2, 2, 0.170, 0.065
4) Kyle Busch (P), No. 18 M&M's Hazelnut Toyota, 21.411, 126.103, 2, 2, 0.182, 0.012
5) Clint Bowyer (P), No. 14 CSU/One Cure Ford, 21.417, 126.068, 2, 2, 0.188, 0.006
6) Denny Hamlin (P), No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota, 21.442, 125.921, 2, 2, 0.213, 0.025
7) Aric Almirola (P), No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 21.509, 125.529, 2, 2, 0.280, 0.067
8) Martin Truex Jr. (P), No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 21.526, 125.430, 2, 2, 0.297, 0.017
9) Kurt Busch (P), No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet, 21.563, 125.214, 2, 2, 0.334, 0.037
10) Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, 21.569, 125.180, 2, 2, 0.340, 0.006
11) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Long John Silver's Ford, 21.585, 125.087, 2, 2, 0.356, 0.016
12) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 95 Toyota Express Maintenance Toyota, 21.598, 125.012, 2, 2, 0.369, 0.013
13) Kyle Larson (P), No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet, 21.605, 124.971, 2, 2, 0.376, 0.007
14) Daniel Suarez, No. 41 Haas Automation Ford, 21.609, 124.948, 2, 2, 0.380, 0.004
15) Ryan Blaney (P), No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford, 21.612, 124.931, 2, 2, 0.383, 0.003
16) Erik Jones (P), No. 20 Craftsman Toyota, 21.617, 124.902, 2, 2, 0.388, 0.005
17) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Okuma Chevrolet, 21.631, 124.821, 2, 2, 0.402, 0.014
18) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Fastenal Ford, 21.640, 124.769, 1, 2, 0.411, 0.009
19) Ryan Newman (P), No. 6 Roush Performance Ford, 21.655, 124.683, 2, 2, 0.426, 0.015
20) Alex Bowman (P), No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet, 21.660, 124.654, 1, 2, 0.431, 0.005
21) Ryan Preece #, No. 47 Kroger Chevrolet, 21.699, 124.430, 2, 2, 0.470, 0.039
22) Daniel Hemric #, No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, 21.702, 124.412, 2, 2, 0.473, 0.003
23) Chris Buescher, No. 37 Fast Lane to Flavor Chevrolet, 21.737, 124.212, 2, 2, 0.508, 0.035
24) Paul Menard, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, 21.747, 124.155, 2, 2, 0.518, 0.010
25) William Byron (P), No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet, 21.808, 123.808, 2, 2, 0.579, 0.061
26) Matt Tifft #, No. 36 Surface Sunscreen Ford, 21.865, 123.485, 2, 2, 0.636, 0.057
27) David Ragan, No. 38 MDS Trucking Ford, 21.873, 123.440, 2, 2, 0.644, 0.008
28) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 21.896, 123.310, 2, 2, 0.667, 0.023
29) Corey LaJoie, No. 32 CorvetteParts.net Ford, 21.910, 123.231, 2, 2, 0.681, 0.014
30) Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, 21.960, 122.951, 2, 2, 0.731, 0.050
31) Ty Dillon, No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet, 22.061, 122.388, 2, 2, 0.832, 0.101
32) Ross Chastain(i), No. 15 Chevrolet, 22.124, 122.039, 2, 2, 0.895, 0.063
33) JJ Yeley(i), No. 52 Byrna Ford, 22.262, 121.283, 2, 2, 1.033, 0.138
34) Austin Theriault, No. 51 Jacob Companies Chevrolet, 22.329, 120.919, 2, 2, 1.100, 0.067
35) Reed Sorenson, No. 77 Go Parts Chevrolet, 22.350, 120.805, 2, 2, 1.121, 0.021
36) Landon Cassill(i), No. 00 University of Richmond Chevrolet, 22.455, 120.240, 2, 2, 1.226, 0.105
37) *Spencer Boyd(i), No. 53 AQRE.app Chevrolet, 22.584, 119.554, 2, 2, 1.355, 0.129
38) *Quin Houff, No. 27 Chevrolet, 22.654, 119.184, 2, 2, 1.425, 0.070
*Required to qualify on time, OP - No. Top 30 in Owner Points, PC - Past Champion,(i)Ineligible for driver points in this series

Starting Line Up: 62nd Annual Federated Auto Parts 400, Richmond Raceway

Track Race Record: Dale Jarrett, 09/06/97,2:45:04, 109.047

Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) Brad Keselowski (P), No. 2 Discount Tire Ford, 21.229 sec, 127.185 mph
2) Kevin Harvick (P), No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford, 21.334, 126.559
3) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet, 21.399, 126.174
4) Kyle Busch (P), No. 18 M&M's Hazelnut Toyota, 21.411, 126.103
5) Clint Bowyer (P), No. 14 CSU/One Cure Ford, 21.417, 126.068
6) Denny Hamlin (P), No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota, 21.442, 125.921
7) Aric Almirola (P), No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 21.509, 125.529
8) Martin Truex Jr. (P), No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 21.526, 125.430
9) Kurt Busch (P), No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet, 21.563, 125.214
10) Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, 21.569, 125.180
11) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Long John Silver's Ford, 21.585, 125.087
12) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 95 Toyota Express Maintenance Toyota, 21.598, 125.012
13) Kyle Larson (P), No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet, 21.605, 124.971
14) Daniel Suarez, No. 41 Haas Automation Ford, 21.609, 124.948
15) Ryan Blaney (P), No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford, 21.612, 124.931
16) Erik Jones (P), No. 20 Craftsman Toyota, 21.617, 124.902
17) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Okuma Chevrolet, 21.631, 124.821
18) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Fastenal Ford, 21.640, 124.769
19) Ryan Newman (P), No. 6 Roush Performance Ford, 21.655, 124.683
20) Alex Bowman (P), No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet, 21.660, 124.654
21) Ryan Preece #, No. 47 Kroger Chevrolet, 21.699, 124.430
22) Daniel Hemric #, No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, 21.702, 124.412
23) Chris Buescher, No. 37 Fast Lane to Flavor Chevrolet, 21.737, 124.212
24) Paul Menard, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, 21.747, 124.155
25) William Byron (P), No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet, 21.808, 123.808
26) Matt Tifft #, No. 36 Surface Sunscreen Ford, 21.865, 123.485
27) David Ragan, No. 38 MDS Trucking Ford, 21.873, 123.440
28) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 21.896, 123.310
29) Corey LaJoie, No. 32 CorvetteParts.net Ford, 21.910, 123.231
30) Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, 21.960, 122.951
31) Ty Dillon, No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet, 22.061, 122.388
32) Ross Chastain(i), No. 15 Chevrolet, 22.124, 122.039
33) JJ Yeley(i), No. 52 Byrna Ford, 22.262, 121.283
34) Austin Theriault, No. 51 Jacob Companies Chevrolet, 22.329, 120.919
35) Reed Sorenson, No. 77 Go Parts Chevrolet, 22.350, 120.805
36) Landon Cassill(i), No. 00 University of Richmond Chevrolet, 22.455, 120.240
37) Spencer Boyd(i), No. 53 AQRE.app Chevrolet, 22.584, 119.554
38) Quin Houff, No. 27 Chevrolet, 22.654, 119.184
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

 

Ron Fleshman with John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2019, Issue 9, Posted 11:46 PM, 09.20.2019