Kasey Kahne backed up his truck race win, earlier this year, with a pole-winning record-setting lap of 181.254 mph at Darlington Raceway.
This was Kahne’s fourth Sprint Cup pole at the egg-shaped oval known as the Lady in Black for its tradition of consuming cars.
Even though the NASCAR trucks are different in handling and horsepower; running that race, about two months ago, seemed to help Kahne who drove a Toyota. “I think anytime you make laps at this track it just builds on your confidence and builds on what you’re looking for in your car,” he said.
Comparing the track in a truck versus the Sprint Cup car Kahne explained “It’s a little bit different, but it’s the same tire so some of the things are similar. You just have so much more power with these Toyota engines on the Cup side. These cars just run so well and they have a lot of power. Other than that, there are some similarities for sure.”
While still looking for his first victory at one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks Kahne has usually been quick.
“I guess I've always just taken to qualifying at this place. I like running right against the wall and carrying the speed and the momentum. We hadn't been quite as fast in a couple years and today we were really fast. It was great. The lap felt awesome. I knew we definitely had a good chance at the pole when I made the lap,” said Kahne.
Ryan Newman, who was fastest in rain shortened practice qualified second in a Stewart Haas Chevrolet. Denny Hamlin, who won last year’s race was third fastest in another Toyota followed by the Ford of NASCAR points’ leader Carl Edwards fourth fastest.
Under new NASCAR rules Newman went out in the last segment for top-35 drivers by which time the weather changed which may have cost him the pole. “I didn’t know what we would pick up with the sun coming out,” he said.
Brian Keselowski, Andy Lally and Scott Riggs failed to qualify for Saturday night’s race.
This was Kahne’s fourth Sprint Cup pole at the egg-shaped oval known as the Lady in Black for its tradition of consuming cars.
Even though the NASCAR trucks are different in handling and horsepower; running that race, about two months ago, seemed to help Kahne who drove a Toyota. “I think anytime you make laps at this track it just builds on your confidence and builds on what you’re looking for in your car,” he said.
Comparing the track in a truck versus the Sprint Cup car Kahne explained “It’s a little bit different, but it’s the same tire so some of the things are similar. You just have so much more power with these Toyota engines on the Cup side. These cars just run so well and they have a lot of power. Other than that, there are some similarities for sure.”
While still looking for his first victory at one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks Kahne has usually been quick.
“I guess I've always just taken to qualifying at this place. I like running right against the wall and carrying the speed and the momentum. We hadn't been quite as fast in a couple years and today we were really fast. It was great. The lap felt awesome. I knew we definitely had a good chance at the pole when I made the lap,” said Kahne.
Ryan Newman, who was fastest in rain shortened practice qualified second in a Stewart Haas Chevrolet. Denny Hamlin, who won last year’s race was third fastest in another Toyota followed by the Ford of NASCAR points’ leader Carl Edwards fourth fastest.
Under new NASCAR rules Newman went out in the last segment for top-35 drivers by which time the weather changed which may have cost him the pole. “I didn’t know what we would pick up with the sun coming out,” he said.
Brian Keselowski, Andy Lally and Scott Riggs failed to qualify for Saturday night’s race.