Michigan NASCAR: Kevin Harvick dominates qualifying with record lap
Kevin Harvick set a blistering record pace as he dominated NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying at Michigan International Speedway
Stewart-Haas Chevrolet driver Harvick was quickest in all three segments, breaking the series' track record in the opening moments and never looking under threat.
He finally secured pole with a lap of 35.198 seconds and 204.557mph.
SHR's supplier Hendrick filled the top three as its own cars took second and third with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Aric Almirola was the top Ford representative for Richard Petty Motorsports in fourth.
Toyota only got one car into the pole shootout, Brian Vickers taking 10th for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Brad Keselowski had been Harvick's nearest rival in the first two sections of qualifying, but fell to sixth when it counted.
Juan Pablo Montoya qualified 28th on his NASCAR return with Penske. He had only been a tenth off team-mate Joey Logano in the first part of qualifying, but they were on opposite sides of the segment two cut-off, and Logano was able to go on to qualify ninth.
Ryan Newman's weekend got off to an unusual start when Earnhardt forgot that he was giving the Richard Childress driver a lift to Michigan on his private plane, leaving Newman temporarily stranded.
Newman eventually made it to the track and jumped out of the first part of qualiying with a last-gasp lap, though 24th ultimately proved to be his limit.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Chevrolet 35.198s
2. Jeff Gordon Hendrick Chevrolet 35.333s +0.135s
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr Hendrick Chevrolet 35.341s +0.143s
4. Aric Almirola Petty Ford 35.433s +0.235s
5. Paul Menard Childress Chevrolet 35.461s +0.263s
6. Brad Keselowski Penske Ford 35.484s +0.286s
7. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Chevrolet 35.573s +0.375s
8. Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Chevrolet 35.636s +0.438s
9. Joey Logano Penske Ford 35.638s +0.440s
10. Brian Vickers Waltrip Toyota 35.762s +0.564s
11. Jamie McMurray Ganassi Chevrolet 35.912s +0.714s
12. Kyle Larson Ganassi Chevrolet
13. Kasey Kahne Hendrick Chevrolet 35.843s Q2
14. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Toyota 35.849s Q2
15. Clint Bowyer Waltrip Toyota 35.851s Q2
16. Martin Truex Jr Furniture Row Chevrolet 35.853s Q2
17. Justin Allgaier Hscott Chevrolet 35.869s Q2
18. Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Ford 35.907s Q2
19. Austin Dillon Childress Chevrolet 35.918s Q2
20. Marcos Ambrose Petty Ford 35.977s Q2
21. Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Ford 36.006s Q2
22. Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Ford 36.084s Q2
23. Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Ford 36.087s Q2
24. Ryan Newman Childress Chevrolet 36.151s Q2
25. AJ Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Chevrolet 35.850s Q1
26. Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Chevrolet 35.918s Q1
27. Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Chevrolet 35.919s Q1
28. Juan Pablo Montoya Penske Ford 35.961s Q1
29. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Toyota 36.012s Q1
30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr Roush Fenway Ford 36.045s Q1
31. Casey Mears Germain Chevrolet 36.069s Q1
32. David Gilliland Front Row Ford 36.255s Q1
33. David Ragan Front Row Ford 36.259s Q1
34. Brett Moffitt Robinson Toyota 36.300s Q1
35. JJ Yeley Xxxtreme Chevrolet 36.382s Q1
36. David Streme Circle Sport Chevrolet 36.425s Q1
37. Michael Annett Baldwin Chevrolet 36.476s Q1
38. Josh Wise Parsons Chevrolet 36.554s Q1
39. Landon Cassill Hillman Chevrolet 36.629s Q1
40. Reed Sorenson Baldwin Chevrolet 36.685s Q1
41. Alex Bowman BK Toyota 36.841s Q1
42. Cole Whitt BK Toyota 36.899s Q1
43. Travis Kvapil Go FAS Ford 36.930s Q1
Did not qualify:
Ryan Truex BK Toyota 36.561s Q1
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