CP MOTORSPORTS - KESELOWSKI WINS POLE FOR KANSAS CHASE CHALLENGE
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Pressure is certainly building up for the remaining 12 drivers in NASCAR's Chase for the Championship.
Brad Keselowski made an effort take a little strain off his team by winning the pole for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. Sunday's race is the fifth of ten races in NASCAR's playoff system and the second of the 12 car Contender round.
Keselowski's lap of 195.503 mph in knockout qualifying's final session grabbed him the top spot. Keselowski now has 10 poles in his championship career believes Kansas may be the toughest place on the NASCAR schedule to qualify.
"I've always felt like Darlington is the hardest qualifying session of the year - but this is harder," Keselowski told TV reporters. "You're like right on the fringe of being wide open. If you go over the grip level you're going to wreck really hard because you're going 190, 192 mph through the corners.
"It's tough."
Earlier in the week, NASCAR issued written warnings to Keselowski's team amongst others. Because of the written warnings, however, he does not have the choice of pit stalls which normally comes along with winning a pole.
Keselowski thinks it just another bump in the road.
"I like adversity," Keselowski said. "It's good for us. As a team we'll have to deal with it the best we can."
Carl Edwards laid down a lap of 195.454 mph to claim the second spot, followed by Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Martin Truex Jr.
Ryan Blaney, who was the fastest car on the track in the second round of qualifying, broke up the Chase parade at the front by grabbing the eighth starting spot with Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle rounding out the race's top 12 starters.
Joey Logano was unable to translate his success last week at Charlotte into success in qualifying this week as he was only able to muster up enough speed for the 14th spot on the starting grid.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr, who is also Chase eligible will start in the 15th spot.
Time Trial Results
Kansas Speedway
15th Annual Hollywood Casino 400
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, October 16, 2015 @ 07:16 PM Eastern
Driver Date Time Speed
Track Qualifying Record: Kevin Harvick 10/05/14 27.304 197.773
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 3
1 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 27.621 195.503 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 19 Carl Edwards Sport Clips Toyota 27.628 195.454 1 1 0.007 0.007
3 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Halloween Toyota 27.717 194.826 1 1 0.096 0.089
4 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet 27.727 194.756 1 1 0.106 0.010
5 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 27.730 194.735 1 1 0.109 0.003
6 24 Jeff Gordon 3M Chevrolet 27.746 194.623 1 1 0.125 0.016
7 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet 27.782 194.370 2 2 0.161 0.036
8 21 Ryan Blaney(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 27.783 194.363 1 1 0.162 0.001
9 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 27.787 194.335 1 1 0.166 0.004
10 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 27.792 194.301 1 1 0.171 0.005
11 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 27.812 194.161 1 1 0.191 0.020
12 16 Greg Biffle Roush Performance Ford 27.855 193.861 1 1 0.234 0.043
Qualifying Round: 2
1 21 Ryan Blaney(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 27.669 195.164 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 19 Carl Edwards Sport Clips Toyota 27.691 195.009 1 1 0.022 0.022
3 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 27.705 194.911 1 1 0.036 0.014
4 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 27.720 194.805 1 1 0.051 0.015
5 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Halloween Toyota 27.746 194.623 1 1 0.077 0.026
6 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 27.757 194.546 1 1 0.088 0.011
7 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet 27.771 194.447 1 1 0.102 0.014
8 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 27.782 194.370 1 1 0.113 0.011
9 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet 27.792 194.301 1 1 0.123 0.010
10 24 Jeff Gordon 3M Chevrolet 27.800 194.245 3 3 0.131 0.008
11 16 Greg Biffle Roush Performance Ford 27.818 194.119 1 1 0.149 0.018
12 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 27.819 194.112 1 1 0.150 0.001
13 27 Paul Menard FVP/Menards Chevrolet 27.827 194.056 1 1 0.158 0.008
14 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 27.830 194.035 3 3 0.161 0.003
15 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Halo 5: Master Chief Chevrolet 27.835 194.000 1 3 0.166 0.005
16 33 Brian Scott(i) Shore Lodge Chevrolet 27.836 193.993 1 3 0.167 0.001
17 14 Tony Stewart Rush Truck Centers/Arctic Cat Chevrolet 27.859 193.833 1 3 0.190 0.023
18 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 27.872 193.743 1 1 0.203 0.013
19 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 27.876 193.715 1 3 0.207 0.004
20 42 Kyle Larson Target Plaid Chevrolet 27.909 193.486 1 1 0.240 0.033
21 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet 27.930 193.340 1 3 0.261 0.021
22 55 David Ragan Aaron's Online Dream Machine Toyota 27.934 193.313 1 1 0.265 0.004
23 43 Aric Almirola Eckrich Ford 27.974 193.036 1 1 0.305 0.040
24 5 Kasey Kahne LiftMaster Chevrolet 27.974 193.036 1 3 0.305 0.000
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 1
1 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 27.678 195.101 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet 27.757 194.546 1 1 0.079 0.079
3 19 Carl Edwards Sport Clips Toyota 27.764 194.496 2 2 0.086 0.007
4 27 Paul Menard FVP/Menards Chevrolet 27.801 194.238 1 1 0.123 0.037
5 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 27.806 194.203 1 1 0.128 0.005
6 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 27.830 194.035 1 1 0.152 0.024
7 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Halo 5: Master Chief Chevrolet 27.880 193.687 3 3 0.202 0.050
8 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 27.892 193.604 1 1 0.214 0.012
9 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 27.908 193.493 3 3 0.230 0.016
10 21 Ryan Blaney(i) Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 27.934 193.313 1 1 0.256 0.026
11 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Halloween Toyota 27.939 193.278 1 1 0.261 0.005
12 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet 27.947 193.223 1 1 0.269 0.008
13 33 Brian Scott(i) Shore Lodge Chevrolet 27.954 193.175 1 1 0.276 0.007
14 55 David Ragan Aaron's Online Dream Machine Toyota 27.966 193.092 1 1 0.288 0.012
15 42 Kyle Larson Target Plaid Chevrolet 27.971 193.057 1 1 0.293 0.005
16 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 27.992 192.912 3 3 0.314 0.021
17 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 27.996 192.885 1 1 0.318 0.004
18 24 Jeff Gordon 3M Chevrolet 27.997 192.878 1 1 0.319 0.001
19 16 Greg Biffle Roush Performance Ford 27.997 192.878 1 1 0.319 0.000
20 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet 28.009 192.795 1 1 0.331 0.012
21 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 28.020 192.719 1 1 0.342 0.011
22 14 Tony Stewart Rush Truck Centers/Arctic Cat Chevrolet 28.024 192.692 1 1 0.346 0.004
23 5 Kasey Kahne LiftMaster Chevrolet 28.037 192.603 1 2 0.359 0.013
24 43 Aric Almirola Eckrich Ford 28.049 192.520 1 2 0.371 0.012
25 3 Austin Dillon American Ethanol Chevrolet 28.075 192.342 4 4 0.397 0.026
26 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota 28.155 191.795 1 2 0.477 0.080
27 47 AJ Allmendinger Dillons/Bush's Beans Chevrolet 28.167 191.714 1 3 0.489 0.012
28 1 Jamie McMurray Halo 5: Spartan Locke/Cessna Chevrolet 28.168 191.707 1 4 0.490 0.001
29 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 28.208 191.435 1 3 0.530 0.040
30 51 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet 28.273 190.995 1 5 0.595 0.065
31 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Sonic Ford 28.307 190.766 1 3 0.629 0.034
32 7 Alex Bowman Accell Construction Chevrolet 28.333 190.590 1 3 0.655 0.026
33 38 David Gilliland Love's Travel Stops Ford 28.415 190.040 1 3 0.737 0.082
34 83 Matt DiBenedetto # VooDoo BBQ Toyota 28.492 189.527 3 3 0.814 0.077
35 34 Brett Moffitt # Dockside Logistics LLC Ford 28.498 189.487 3 3 0.820 0.006
36 26 JJ Yeley(i) Honey Creek Outfitters/Maxim Toyota 28.523 189.321 3 3 0.845 0.025
37 OP 46 Michael Annett TMC Transportation Chevrolet 28.549 189.148 1 3 0.871 0.026
38 OP 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 28.572 188.996 1 1 0.894 0.023
39 OP 35 Cole Whitt Rich Logistics Ford 28.748 187.839 3 3 1.070 0.176
40 OP 23 Jeb Burton # Dr Pepper Toyota 28.935 186.625 5 5 1.257 0.187
41 OP 40 Landon Cassill(i) Carsforsale.com Chevrolet 29.092 185.618 3 5 1.414 0.157
42 OP 98 Reed Sorenson Becker Auto's & Trailers Ford 29.142 185.300 1 3 1.464 0.050
43 OP 32 Will Kimmel III Skuttle Tight Ford 29.147 185.268 1 3 1.469 0.005
44 62 Timmy Hill(i) Becker Auto's & Trailers Chevrolet 29.156 185.211 3 5 1.478 0.009