Kenseth edges Ambrose as Fords dominate Vegas qualifying

Kenseth edges Ambrose as Fords dominate Vegas qualifying


(March 4, 2011)

LAS VEGAS—Now that Matt Kenseth has broken one drought, he’ll look to snap another on Sunday.
Speeding around Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a track-record 28.589 seconds (188.884 mph) on Friday, Kenseth knocked fellow Ford driver Marcos Ambrose off the pole for the Kobalt Tools 400 Sprint Cup race at the 1.5-mile track.
The Coors Light pole award was the fifth of Kenseth’s career and the first since May 2009 at Darlington. On Sunday, the 2003 Cup champion will try to break a winless string of 72 races that dates to Feb. 22, 2009, at Auto Club Speedway.
Ambrose (188.166 mph) will start beside Kenseth on the front row. Carl Edwards (188.127), last week’s pole winner at Phoenix, was third and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle (187.970) fourth, as Fords claimed the top four starting positions for the third Cup race of the season.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are fifth and sixth on the grid, with AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr. and Mark Martin completing the top 10.
Kurt Busch, who qualified 22nd Friday, set the previous qualifying record of 188.719 mph last year.
Kenseth was determined to atone for a disappointing 24th-place qualifying effort last week at Phoenix.
“Qualifying is not my strong suit, but I knew we had a really fast car today when we did our last qualifying run (in practice),” Kenseth said. “Honestly, this is the most nervous I’ve been before qualifying in probably five years at least, because I knew we had a shot at the pole, and I knew last week we really messed up. I didn’t want to mess up a fast car today, so I was really happy with that.”
Ambrose matched his career-best qualifying effort, having started second last October at Martinsville.
“I’ve been second a few times now in my Cup career, so I’ve been the bridesmaid plenty of times—it doesn’t feel any nicer,” said Ambrose, who started fourth and finished second in the 2009 Cup race at Watkins Glen. “But I’m really pleased today. Can’t complain. Matt did a great lap. Can’t complain about someone beating you on speed. It’s not like he lucked into it.”
David Ragan, whose No. 6 Ford was one of the fastest cars during practice, spun off Turn 2 on his qualifying lap and failed to post a time. He will start Sunday’s race from the 42nd position.
Brian Keselowski failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service