Qualifying for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400
Date: June 3, 2016
Event: Qualifying for the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 (Round 14 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (2.5-mile triangle)
Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske(49.525 seconds at 181.726 mph)
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 Pocono (Pa.) Raceway by setting the fourth-fastest lap in qualifying for Sunday’s Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Harvick turned a lap of 49.671 seconds at 181.192 mph on the 2.5-mile triangle in the 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 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified sixth with a time of 49.844 seconds at 180.563 mph.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified ninth with a time of 50.147 seconds at 179.472 mph.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery/FOX Sports GO Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 33rd with a time of 51.221 seconds at 175.709 mph.
Brad Keselowski led the final round of knockout qualifying by taking the pole with a lap of 49.525 seconds at 181.726 mph. It was his 12th career Sprint Cup pole, his first at Pocono and his first of the season.
Joey Logano will start on the outside of row one after clocking in at 49.614 seconds at 181.400 mph.
The 10 other drivers who made it to the final round of qualifying were Matt Kenseth, Harvick, Carl Edwards, Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch. All are listed in the order they’ll start the race.
The Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 gets underway at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday with live coverage provided by FS1.
-SHR-