Brad Keselowski will start Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway from the pole after posting the top speed during Friday’s qualifying session.

The pole was Keselowski’s second of the day as he also was fastest in qualifying for Friday night’s Nationwide Series race.

The Team Penske driver’s teammate, Joey Logano, qualified second fastest.

Jeff Gordon, who has never won at Kentucky, qualified third.

“That was a pretty wild session for the Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet,” Gordon said, “but those last two or three runs were just so solid. We made some good adjustments really proud of Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and the guys on the adjustments they made. Even that final lap there I really got through (Turns) one and two good. I said ‘okay don’t mess up three and four’. I got down into three got it turned just the way I wanted to got back in the gas and the front end just did not quite stick for me. I don’t know how far off of those guys we were, but solid. That is a great place to start this race.”

Denny Hamlin qualified fourth.

“We got faster every run, which is similar to what we did in Pocono,” he said. “We’re getting better. Fourth is a little better than I expected to qualify, but we think we have a top-five car for the race. Looking forward to tomorrow.”

Kevin Harvick and rookie Kyle Larson qualified fifth and sixth.

“We kind of have battled I think everybody has battled just a tough race track to get ahold of,” Harvick said. “To get over the bumps and make your car turn and do all the things it needs to do. We didn’t have a great first run, made it better every run and wound up with a top five start. I think that is a great improvement for our Budweiser team.”

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts

Kentucky Speedway

Sparta, Kentucky

Friday, June 27, 2014

1. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 188.791 mph.

2. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 187.175 mph.

3. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 186.832 mph.

4. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 186.374 mph.

5. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 186.104 mph.

6. (42) Kyle Larson #, Chevrolet, 186.034 mph.

7. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 186.014 mph.

8. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 185.957 mph.

9. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 185.950 mph.

10. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 185.803 mph.

11. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 185.414 mph.

12. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 185.096 mph.

13. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 185.854 mph.

14. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 185.714 mph.

15. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 185.503 mph.

16. (3) Austin Dillon #, Chevrolet, 185.344 mph.

17. (55) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 185.096 mph.

18. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 185.052 mph.

19. (78) Martin Truex Jr, Chevrolet, 184.761 mph.

20. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 184.464 mph.

21. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 184.307 mph.

22. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 184.300 mph.

23. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 184.106 mph.

24. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 183.138 mph.

25. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 183.661 mph.

26. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 183.424 mph.

27. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 183.163 mph.

28. (51) Justin Allgaier #, Chevrolet, 182.815 mph.

29. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 182.803 mph.

30. (26) Cole Whitt #, Toyota, 182.778 mph.

31. (36) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 181.916 mph.

32. (7) Michael Annett #, Chevrolet, 181.464 mph.

33. (23) Alex Bowman #, Toyota, 181.287 mph.

34. (98) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 181.196 mph.

35. (32) Travis Kvapil, Ford, 180.421 mph.

36. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 179.700 mph.

37. (40) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, Owner Points

38. (33) David Stremme, Chevrolet, Owner Points

39. (83) Ryan Truex #, Toyota, Owner Points

40. (66) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, Owner Points

41. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, Owner Points

42. (93) Mike Bliss(i), Toyota, Owner Points

(This story will be updated shortly)

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