Matt Kenseth has won the pole for the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer at the world’s fastest half-mile track – Bristol Motor Speedway.
Kenseth set a speed of 207.137 km/h (128.632 mph) in the last of the three rounds of group qualifying to secure his first pole of the 2015 season, second pole at Bristol Motor Speedway and the 14th of his career.
Further good news for Kenseth is that he has three career Sprint Cup wins at Bristol in 30 previous starts.
Sharing the front row will be Brad Keselowski, while Carl Edwards and championship leader Kevin Harvick will start one row back.
Missing the top-12 final qualifying runoff where Dale Earnhardt Jr. (starting 13th), Kyle Larson (starting 14th), Martin Truex Jr. (starting 16th), Tony Stewart (starting 21st) and Jeff Gordon (starting 23rd).
While last week’s race winner in Texas Jimmie Johnson will start from 28th.
The major incident during the qualifying runs went the way of Greg Biffle who lost control off of Turn 3 just over three minutes into the opening round of qualifying. His car went sideways and somehow suffered little damage and he will start from 33rd.
Brendan Gaughan and Ron Hornaday Jr. did not qualify for the 43-car field.
POS.
CAR #
DRIVER
MANUFACTURER
SPONSOR
MPH
BEST TIME
BEHIND
1
20
Matt Kenseth
Dollar General
128.632
14.917
Leader
2
2
Brad Keselowski
Miller Lite
128.442
14.939
–0.022
3
19
Carl Edwards
COMCAST BUSINESS
128.322
14.953
–0.036
4
4
Kevin Harvick
Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser
128.211
14.966
–0.049
5
11
Denny Hamlin
FedEx Freight
127.419
15.059
–0.142
6
22
Joey Logano
AutoTrader
127.317
15.071
–0.154
7
41
Kurt Busch
Haas Automation
126.871
15.124
–0.207
8
5
Kasey Kahne
Great Clips
126.829
15.129
–0.212
9
27
Paul Menard
Sylvania / Menards
126.829
15.129
–0.212
10
1
Jamie McMurray
McDonald’s
126.612
15.155
–0.238
11
18
David Ragan
Snickers Extreme
126.436
15.176
–0.259
12
3
Austin Dillon
Dow
126.262
15.197
–0.280
13
88
Dale Earnhardt Jr
MOUNTAIN DEW DEWSHINE
127.081
15.099
–0.182
14
42
Kyle Larson
Target
127.073
15.100
–0.183
15
51
Justin Allgaier
Auto Owners Insurance
126.562
15.161
–0.244
16
78
Martin Truex Jr
Furniture Row/Visser Precision
126.503
15.168
–0.251
17
40
Landon Cassill
TBA
126.428
15.177
–0.260
18
31
Ryan Newman
WIX
126.088
15.218
–0.301
19
95
Michael McDowell
Thrivent Financial
125.947
15.235
–0.318
20
47
AJ Allmendinger
Bush’s Beans
125.939
15.236
–0.319
21
14
Tony Stewart
Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1
125.831
15.249
–0.332
22
83
Matt DiBenedetto
Dustless Blasting
125.798
15.253
–0.336
23
24
Jeff Gordon
3M
125.609
15.276
–0.359
24
55
Brett Moffitt
Aaron’s Dream Machine
125.199
15.326
–0.409
25
17
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Zest Ford Fusion
126.378
15.183
–0.266
26
10
Danica Patrick
GoDaddy
126.328
15.189
–0.272
27
13
Casey Mears
No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS
126.303
15.192
–0.275
28
48
Jimmie Johnson
Lowe’s
126.146
15.211
–0.294
29
23
J.J. Yeley
Dr. Pepper “I’m a Pepper”
126.046
15.223
–0.306
30
43
Aric Almirola
Smithfield
125.823
15.250
–0.333
31
6
Trevor Bayne
Advocare Ford Fusion
125.798
15.253
–0.336
32
38
David Gilliland
MDS Transport
125.625
15.274
–0.357
33
16
Greg Biffle
Ortho Ford Fusion
125.551
15.283
–0.366
34
26
Jeb Burton
MaximFantasySports.com
125.510
15.288
–0.371
35
98
Josh Wise
Phil Parsons Racing
125.453
15.295
–0.378
36
46
Michael Annett
Pilot Flying J
125.158
15.331
–0.414
37
15
Clint Bowyer
5-Hour Energy
125.020
15.348
–0.431
38
34
Chris Buescher
CSX / Play It Safe
125.020
15.348
–0.431
39
9
Sam Hornish Jr
Nature Blast
124.938
15.358
–0.441
40
7
Alex Bowman
TBA
124.557
15.405
–0.488
41
32
Mike Bliss
KEEN PARTS/VISONE RV
124.130
15.458
–0.541
42
35
Cole Whitt
Tweaker Energy Shots
124.050
15.468
–0.551
43
33
Alex Kennedy
Media Cast
123.610
15.523
–0.606
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