Qualifying for the Pure Michigan 400
Date: Aug. 26, 2016
Event: Pure Michigan 400 (Round 24 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (2-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Joey Logano (25.697 seconds at 201.698mph)
SHR Lineup:
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS led the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent Friday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn by setting the fourth-fastest lap in qualifying for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Harvick turned a lap of 35.753 seconds at 201.382 mph on the 2-mile oval in the third and final qualifying round.
Qualifying consisted of three rounds. The first was 20 minutes, with every driver on the track vying to set the fastest lap. The 24 fastest drivers from the first round advanced to the second, 10-minute round and the fastest 12 drivers from that session advanced to the final, five-minute round where they battled for the pole. Positions 1-12 were set by speeds in the final round. Positions 13-24 were set by speeds in the second round. The remaining 40-car field was set by speeds posted by those who did not advance past the first round.
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS, qualified 15th with a time of 35.942 seconds at 200.323 mph.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 19th with a time of 36.135 seconds at 199.253 mph.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Aspen Dental Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 23rd with a time of 36.227 seconds at 198.747 mph.
Joey Logano led the final round of knockout qualifying by taking the pole with a lap of 35.697 seconds at 201.698 mph. It was his 17th career Sprint Cup pole, his third at Michigan and his third of the season.
Jimmie Johnson will start on the outside of row one after clocking in at 35.728 seconds at 201.523 mph.
The 10 other drivers who made it to the final round of qualifying were Denny Hamlin, Harvick, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson. All are listed in the order they’ll start the race.
The Pure Michigan 400 gets underway at 2 p.m. EDT Sunday with live coverage provided by NBCSN.
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