Kenseth gets Chase off to strong start with Chicagoland pole

Kenseth gets Chase off to strong start with Chicagoland pole

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(September 3, 2011)

 

JOLIET, Ill.—Though no championship points are awarded for qualifying, Matt Kenseth got a leg up on his competition in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in Saturday’s time trials at Chicagoland Speedway.

 

Kenseth also took the first step toward doing something no Ford driver has ever done—win a Cup race at the 1.5-mile track. Kenseth toured the track at 183.243 mph (29.469 seconds) to edge Paul Menard (183.125 mph) for the top starting spot in Sunday’s Geico 400, the opening race in the Chase.

 

The Coors Light pole award was Kenseth’s second of the season and the sixth of his career.

 

Chase drivers completed the top five with Kurt Busch qualifying third at 183.032 mph, followed by Ryan Newman (183.007 mph) and Carl Edwards (182.914 mph), Kenseth’s teammate at Roush Fenway Racing.

 

Other Chase drivers and their starting positions are Brad Keselowski (sixth), Kyle Busch (ninth), five-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson (12th), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (19th), Jeff Gordon (23rd), Tony Stewart (26th), Denny Hamlin (27th) and Kevin Harvick (30th).

 

Travis Kvapil, David Starr, Stephen Leicht and Mike Skinner failed to qualify for the 43-car field.