Besides possessing the most favorable starting spot, another tangible benefit of being the fastest qualifier is having first choice of pit stalls. That advantage is not one afforded to Brad Keselowski — despite winning the pole (195.503 mph) in time trials Friday, he will forfeit his pit stall selection for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Keselowski’s forfeiture is due to a penalty his team incurred by accumulating too many written warnings for minor rules infractions found during technical inspection. After four warnings a team drops to the bottom of the selection order for the next race. Keselowski and Tony Stewart, who qualified 17th and is also being penalized, will pick 42nd and 43rd, respectively.
“It’s like getting a nice cheesecake with no toppings,” Keselowski said. “We will make the most of it.”
It was Keselowski’s 10th career pole and second of the season. Carl Edwards qualified second, followed by Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. Completing the top 12 were Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle.
“Really, we’ll get that first pit stall, which will be huge for Sunday,” Edwards. “That’s a gift and we’ll take it. That will be a good starting spot and a great pit stall.”
Of the 12 remaining drivers in the Chase, only Joey Logano (14th), who won last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15th) did not make it to the third round of the knockout-style qualifying format.
By way of his win, Logano automatically advances to Round 3 of NASCAR’s playoffs. Earnhardt, however, after finishing 28th at Charlotte likely needs to win Sunday or Oct. 25 at Talladega Superspeedway.
“We are just going to go out there and race and see how it works out for us and try to win,” Earnhardt said. “We have two opportunities and we are a good enough team so we will see how that works out.”
Timmy Hill was the only driver who failed to qualify.
