Charlotte NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing's Kenseth on pole at Charlotte
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth will start the first race of the second leg of NASCAR's Sprint Cup title Chase from pole
Kenseth claimed pole position for Saturday's 500-mile race at Charlotte with a time of 27.759 seconds in his Toyota.
It completes a set of two pole positions at the North Carolina track this year, and is Kenseth's fourth pole of 2015.
Kyle Busch was 0.198s behind Kenseth in the final phase of qualifying to make it an all-Joe Gibbs Racing front row.
Team-mates Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards - who won Charlotte's race in May - will start fifth and eighth.
Joey Logano and Greg Biffle will share an all-Ford second row, while Stewart-Haas Racing's Kurt Busch was the best of the Chevrolets in sixth.
Chase contenders Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Brad Keselowski will start in positions 10 through to 13.
Harvick, whose victory last weekend at Dover kept his Sprint Cup title hopes alive, topped practice at Charlotte earlier on Thursday.
Keselowski narrowly missed a place in the third and final phase of qualifying, having set an identical time, 28.181s, to Edwards in the second segment.
Edwards, though, progressed based on owner points.
Of the other Chase runners, Martin Truex Jr secured 15th via the same rule over Ryan Blaney, and Jeff Gordon will start 22nd.
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.759s | - |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.957s | 0.198s |
| 3 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 27.976s | 0.217s |
| 4 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 27.987s | 0.228s |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.992s | 0.233s |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 28.036s | 0.277s |
| 7 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.051s | 0.292s |
| 8 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 28.061s | 0.302s |
| 9 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 28.092s | 0.333s |
| 10 | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.119s | 0.360s |
| 11 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 28.211s | 0.452s |
| 12 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.328s | 0.569s |
| 13 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 28.181s | - |
| 14 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.183s | - |
| 15 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 28.264s | - |
| 16 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 28.264s | - |
| 17 | A.J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 28.286s | - |
| 18 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 28.299s | - |
| 19 | David Ragan | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 28.349s | - |
| 20 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.356s | - |
| 21 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 28.364s | - |
| 22 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.429s | - |
| 23 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 28.475s | - |
| 24 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 28.631s | - |
| 25 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 28.436s | - |
| 26 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.449s | - |
| 27 | Alex Bowman | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 28.538s | - |
| 28 | Justin Allgaier | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.626s | - |
| 29 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 28.644s | - |
| 30 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 28.647s | - |
| 31 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 28.749s | - |
| 32 | Michael McDowell | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 28.825s | - |
| 33 | Trevor Bayne | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 28.839s | - |
| 34 | Landon Cassill | Hillman Smith Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.843s | - |
| 35 | J.J. Yeley | BK Racing | Toyota | 28.844s | - |
| 36 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 28.915s | - |
| 37 | Brett Moffitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 28.941s | - |
| 38 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.942s | - |
| 39 | Cole Whitt | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 29.023s | - |
| 40 | Matt DiBenedetto | BK Racing | Toyota | 29.066s | - |
| 41 | Jeb Burton | BK Racing | Toyota | 29.158s | - |
| 42 | Reed Sorenson | Phil Parsons Racing | Ford | 29.318s | - |
| 43 | Alex Kennedy | Circle Sport | Chevrolet | 29.642s | - |
| 44 | Josh Wise | Go FAS Racing | Ford | 29.152s | - |
| 45 | Timmy Hill | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.442s | - |
Dover NASCAR: Kevin Harvick dominates, Jimmie Johnson out of Chase
NASCAR Charlotte: Joey Logano dominates delayed race
Ty Gibbs will step up to Cup in 2023, replacing Busch at JGR
Ty Gibbs will step up to Cup in 2023, replacing Busch at JGR Ty Gibbs will step up to Cup in 2023, replacing Busch at JGR
Joe Gibbs Racing vice chairman Coy Gibbs dies aged 49
Joe Gibbs Racing vice chairman Coy Gibbs dies aged 49 Joe Gibbs Racing vice chairman Coy Gibbs dies aged 49
The surprise NASCAR Cup title contender in the form of his career
The surprise NASCAR Cup title contender in the form of his career The surprise NASCAR Cup title contender in the form of his career
WRC legend Loeb victorious on rally return
WRC legend Loeb victorious on rally return WRC legend Loeb victorious on rally return
Russell questions FIA F1 decision-making after "totally unnecessary" first red flag
Russell questions FIA F1 decision-making after "totally unnecessary" first red flag Russell questions FIA F1 decision-making after "totally unnecessary" first red flag
Haas F1 team submits protest over F1 Australian GP result
Haas F1 team submits protest over F1 Australian GP result Haas F1 team submits protest over F1 Australian GP result
Sainz blasts “most unfair penalty ever”, seeks Australian GP stewards’ explanation
Sainz blasts “most unfair penalty ever”, seeks Australian GP stewards’ explanation Sainz blasts “most unfair penalty ever”, seeks Australian GP stewards’ explanation
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022 How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.