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Qualifying report

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

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 United States Kevin Harvick  Ford 51.707   174.058
2 22 United States Joey Logano  Ford 51.910 0.203 173.377
3 10 United States Aric Almirola  Ford 51.974 0.267 173.164
4 20 United States Erik Jones  Toyota 51.990 0.283 173.110
5 3 United States Austin Dillon  Chevrolet 52.126 0.419 172.659
6 48 United States Jimmie Johnson  Chevrolet 52.148 0.441 172.586
7 18 United States Kyle Busch  Toyota 52.196 0.489 172.427
8 24 United States William Byron  Chevrolet 52.213 0.506 172.371
9 1 United States Kurt Busch  Chevrolet 52.321 0.614 172.015
10 41 Mexico Daniel Suarez  Ford 52.346 0.639 171.933
11 19 United States Martin Truex Jr.  Toyota 52.365 0.658 171.871
12 11 United States Denny Hamlin  Toyota 52.388 0.681 171.795
13 95 United States Matt DiBenedetto  Toyota 52.436 0.729 171.638
14 2 United States Brad Keselowski  Ford 52.482 0.775 171.487
15 88 United States Alex Bowman  Chevrolet 52.499 0.792 171.432
16 14 United States Clint Bowyer  Ford 52.545 0.838 171.282
17 34 United States Michael McDowell  Ford 52.597 0.890 171.112
18 17 United States Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Ford 52.618 0.911 171.044
19 38 United States David Ragan  Ford 52.623 0.916 171.028
20 12 United States Ryan Blaney  Ford 52.638 0.931 170.979
21 21 United States Paul Menard  Ford 52.747 1.040 170.626
22 8 United States Daniel Hemric  Chevrolet 52.800 1.093 170.455
23 9 United States Chase Elliott  Chevrolet 52.848 1.141 170.300
24 6 United States Ryan Newman  Ford 53.002 1.295 169.805
25 47 United States Ryan Preece  Chevrolet 53.048 1.341 169.658
26 43 United States Darrell Wallace Jr.  Chevrolet 53.221 1.514 169.106
27 36 United States Matt Tifft  Ford 53.255 1.548 168.998
28 37 United States Chris Buescher  Chevrolet 53.301 1.594 168.852
29 42 United States Kyle Larson  Chevrolet 53.370 1.663 168.634
30 32 United States Corey Lajoie  Ford 53.417 1.710 168.486
31 00 United States Landon Cassill  Chevrolet 53.861 2.154 167.097
32 13 United States Ty Dillon  Chevrolet 53.979 2.272 166.732
33 53 United States Josh Bilicki  Chevrolet 54.800 3.093 164.234
34 51 United States B.J. McLeod  Ford 54.809 3.102 164.207
35 15 United States Ross Chastain  Chevrolet 54.890 3.183 163.964
36 27 United States Reed Sorenson  Chevrolet 55.423 3.716 162.387
37 77 United States Quin Houff  Chevrolet 55.539 3.832 162.048
38 52 United States Austin Theriault  Ford 56.011 4.304 160.683

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