Kevin Harvick tops Joey Logano for Pocono pole
Now that Kevin Harvick got to the front this season, he isn’t ready to leave just yet.
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Busch Beer
Logan Whitton / NKP / Motorsport Images
Less than a week after earning his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, Harvick is going to remain out front after winning the pole for Sunday’s Gander RV 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Harvick was among the final three drivers to make a qualifying attempt on Saturday and his average lap speed of 174.058 mph topped Joey Logano (173.377 mph) for the top spot. Harvick’s teammate at Stewart-Haas Racing, Aric Almirola, was third (173.161 mph).
Erik Jones was fourth and Austin Dillon qualified fifth.
The pole is the fourth this season for Harvick, 29th of his career and first at Pocono, where he is still looking for his first career victory.
"It has been a very good track for me. My guys and the whole company knows that we would love to cross this one off, one of the last two of tracks that we haven't won at," Harvick said.
"The first race this year we had a great car and the right strategy and jacked it up and the steering box broke. So, you know, it's kind of been one thing after another like that. Tomorrow, it's going to take a fast car and it's going to take everything falling your way so you can get the strategy right.
"Restarts, and pit strategy and all the normal Pocono things that you have to battle are still going to be the things you have to overcome. Track position and starting up front are nice to have."
Prior to the June Pocono race – where Harvick suffered a broken steering box – has had finished fourth or better for five consecutive races at the triangular-shaped track.
Rounding out the top 10 were Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch (who has won three of the last four Pocono races), William Byron, Kurt Busch and Daniel Suarez.
Sunday’s starting positions are tentative. Cars will go through technical inspection Sunday morning and if they will lose their starting position in the race should they fail at least once.
Cla | # | Driver | Manufacturer | Time | Gap | Mph | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Ford | 51.707 | 174.058 | ||
2 | 22 | Joey Logano | Ford | 51.910 | 0.203 | 173.377 | |
3 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Ford | 51.974 | 0.267 | 173.164 | |
4 | 20 | Erik Jones | Toyota | 51.990 | 0.283 | 173.110 | |
5 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 52.126 | 0.419 | 172.659 | |
6 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 52.148 | 0.441 | 172.586 | |
7 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 52.196 | 0.489 | 172.427 | |
8 | 24 | William Byron | Chevrolet | 52.213 | 0.506 | 172.371 | |
9 | 1 | Kurt Busch | Chevrolet | 52.321 | 0.614 | 172.015 | |
10 | 41 | Daniel Suarez | Ford | 52.346 | 0.639 | 171.933 | |
11 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Toyota | 52.365 | 0.658 | 171.871 | |
12 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 52.388 | 0.681 | 171.795 | |
13 | 95 | Matt DiBenedetto | Toyota | 52.436 | 0.729 | 171.638 | |
14 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Ford | 52.482 | 0.775 | 171.487 | |
15 | 88 | Alex Bowman | Chevrolet | 52.499 | 0.792 | 171.432 | |
16 | 14 | Clint Bowyer | Ford | 52.545 | 0.838 | 171.282 | |
17 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Ford | 52.597 | 0.890 | 171.112 | |
18 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Ford | 52.618 | 0.911 | 171.044 | |
19 | 38 | David Ragan | Ford | 52.623 | 0.916 | 171.028 | |
20 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Ford | 52.638 | 0.931 | 170.979 | |
21 | 21 | Paul Menard | Ford | 52.747 | 1.040 | 170.626 | |
22 | 8 | Daniel Hemric | Chevrolet | 52.800 | 1.093 | 170.455 | |
23 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 52.848 | 1.141 | 170.300 | |
24 | 6 | Ryan Newman | Ford | 53.002 | 1.295 | 169.805 | |
25 | 47 | Ryan Preece | Chevrolet | 53.048 | 1.341 | 169.658 | |
26 | 43 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | Chevrolet | 53.221 | 1.514 | 169.106 | |
27 | 36 | Matt Tifft | Ford | 53.255 | 1.548 | 168.998 | |
28 | 37 | Chris Buescher | Chevrolet | 53.301 | 1.594 | 168.852 | |
29 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet | 53.370 | 1.663 | 168.634 | |
30 | 32 | Corey Lajoie | Ford | 53.417 | 1.710 | 168.486 | |
31 | 00 | Landon Cassill | Chevrolet | 53.861 | 2.154 | 167.097 | |
32 | 13 | Ty Dillon | Chevrolet | 53.979 | 2.272 | 166.732 | |
33 | 53 | Josh Bilicki | Chevrolet | 54.800 | 3.093 | 164.234 | |
34 | 51 | B.J. McLeod | Ford | 54.809 | 3.102 | 164.207 | |
35 | 15 | Ross Chastain | Chevrolet | 54.890 | 3.183 | 163.964 | |
36 | 27 | Reed Sorenson | Chevrolet | 55.423 | 3.716 | 162.387 | |
37 | 77 | Quin Houff | Chevrolet | 55.539 | 3.832 | 162.048 | |
38 | 52 | Austin Theriault | Ford | 56.011 | 4.304 | 160.683 |
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