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NASCAR Texas: Matt Kenseth on pole, Tony Stewart sets record

Matt Kenseth survived a gaggle of late challenges to secure pole position for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway

Tony Stewart stole the show earlier in the session as he became the first driver to post a qualifying lap over 200mph on a 1.5-mile track when he completed a 200.111 mph run, although he was unable to match the speed in the final run-off to pole.

That left the door open for Kenseth, who established himself at the top with a 199.299 mph effort that several drivers came within a breath of matching, although all fell short.

Jeff Gordon was closest of all, the Hendrick driver's 199.291 mph run setting him up for a front row start, with Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch to slot in just behind them.

Stewart was left to settle for the outside of the third row alongside Kevin Harvick, who will be seeking to lift himself out of last place among the eight remaining Chase contenders.

Harvick's cause received an early lift when Brad Keselowski struggled for pace and found himself stranded down in 26th, the Penske driver alone amongst the Chase drivers in being a casualty of the first qualifying round.

Of the other championship protagonists, Ryan Newman will line up seventh, Joey Logano 10th, Carl Edwards 11th and Denny Hamlin 20th.

Pos Driver Team Car Time Gap
1 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 27.095s -
2 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27.096s 0.001s
3 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27.138s 0.043s
4 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 27.148s 0.053s
5 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 27.158s 0.063s
6 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 27.203s 0.108s
7 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 27.204s 0.109s
8 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 27.218s 0.123s
9 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 27.227s 0.132s
10 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 27.263s 0.168s
11 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 27.267s 0.172s
12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27.308s 0.213s
13 Brian Vickers Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 27.184s -
14 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27.186s -
15 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 27.202s -
16 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 27.205s -
17 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 27.224s -
18 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 27.230s -
19 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 27.255s -
20 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 27.304s -
21 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 27.307s -
22 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 27.345s -
23 A.J. Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 27.399s -
24 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 27.452s -
25 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing Ford 27.332s -
26 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Ford 27.386s -
27 Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 27.436s -
28 Michael McDowell Leavine Family Racing Ford 27.455s -
29 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 27.462s -
30 Justin Allgaier HScott Motorsports Chevrolet 27.497s -
31 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 27.500s -
32 Reed Sorenson Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 27.553s -
33 Michael Annett Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 27.586s -
34 Landon Cassill Circle Sport Chevrolet 27.587s -
35 Alex Bowman BK Racing Toyota 27.599s -
36 Josh Wise Phil Parsons Racing Chevrolet 27.621s -
37 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet 27.629s -
38 Casey Mears Germain Racing Chevrolet 27.637s -
39 J.J. Yeley BK Racing Toyota 27.821s -
40 Cole Whitt Swan Racing Toyota 27.998s -
41 Brett Moffitt Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 28.013s -
42 Timmy Hill Circle Sport Chevrolet 28.114s -
43 Joey Gase Go FAS Racing Ford 28.476s -


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