Date: June 13, 2014
Author: Tom Jensen
As expected, it was indeed a Fast Friday at Michigan International Speedway, where Kevin Harvick captured the pole for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 with a blistering lap of 204.557 miles per hour.
Harvick's lap in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was a new track record and the fastest NASCAR pole lap ever at a non-restrictor-plate track. Qualifying behind Harvick were Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordonat 203.776 mph and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 203.729 mph. Aric Almirola'sRichard Petty Motorsports Ford and Paul Menard, in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet completed the top five.
Sixth was 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, followed six-time champ Jimmie Johnson, 2004 title winner Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Brian Vickers.
Seven of the top 12 qualifiers, including the top three, drove Chevrolets powered by engines built by Hendrick Motorsports.
There were three rounds of qualifying today: 25 minutes for all 45 cars entered; then 10 minutes for the fastest 24 cars from Round 1 and a final 5-minute session for the fastest 12 cars from Round 2.
In the opening round of qualifying, Harvick set a new track record of 203.995 miles per hour, a record he subsequently broke in the final round.
Among the drivers who didn't get out of Round 1 were three-time series champion Tony Stewart (26th), Danica Patrick, Stewart's teammate at Stewart-Haas Racing (27th), Juan Pablo Montoya (28th) and Denny Hamlin (29th).
Failing to qualify for the race was Ryan Truex.
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