AJ Allmendinger was just a little surprised when he learned he’d won the pole for the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.
He knew it was "great." On the other hand "I didn’t think that the lap was amazing," the former open-wheel driver said after winning his second Sprint Cup Pole.
"It was OK. When Todd (Gordon – his crew chief) told me the lap time, I was shocked by it. We’ll start up front, the best that I’ve ever started here before. I know that I need to be better than I’ve been. We’re getting closer [to a first points-paying win]."
Qualifying was an atypical morning affair meaning that going out early was better for cooler track temperatures rather than afternoon qualifying where later qualifying runs tend to be quicker.
Thus the other surprise was that Allmendinger was one of the last to go out when temperatures were about 10 F degrees warmer than at the start of qualifying.
"We knew going out early would probably be better. It was even more of a surprise that my lap being as good as it was. It shows that we have a fast race car," he explained after turning a lap of 175.993 mph in a Dodge.
Joey Logano went out first, in the coolest temperatures, and quickly set a mark of 175.724 mph, in a Toyota, to win the provisional pole. But Kevin Harvick, who was also one of the later qualifiers, knocked Logano to third with a lap of 175.747 in a Chevrolet.
Series points leader and last week’s winner at Texas, Greg Biffle, was 17th and the quickest Ford driver.
Allmendinger, who joined Penske Racing this year, came closest to his first Sprint Cup win when he finished runner-up to Ryan Newman at Martinsville. Now his eyes are set on a victory for his new team.
"More than anything, I put so much pressure on my shoulders to go out there and perform," Allmendinger said. "They [his team] are used to winning, running up front, getting poles. It's good just to build momentum.
"So, hopefully, we have a solid 400 miles. It's good [the pole], but we know the bigger picture's on Sunday, and I'm happy to be part of the team."
Tim Andrews, Jeff Green and Tony Raines failed to qualify for Sunday’s race.
He knew it was "great." On the other hand "I didn’t think that the lap was amazing," the former open-wheel driver said after winning his second Sprint Cup Pole.
"It was OK. When Todd (Gordon – his crew chief) told me the lap time, I was shocked by it. We’ll start up front, the best that I’ve ever started here before. I know that I need to be better than I’ve been. We’re getting closer [to a first points-paying win]."
Qualifying was an atypical morning affair meaning that going out early was better for cooler track temperatures rather than afternoon qualifying where later qualifying runs tend to be quicker.
Thus the other surprise was that Allmendinger was one of the last to go out when temperatures were about 10 F degrees warmer than at the start of qualifying.
"We knew going out early would probably be better. It was even more of a surprise that my lap being as good as it was. It shows that we have a fast race car," he explained after turning a lap of 175.993 mph in a Dodge.
Joey Logano went out first, in the coolest temperatures, and quickly set a mark of 175.724 mph, in a Toyota, to win the provisional pole. But Kevin Harvick, who was also one of the later qualifiers, knocked Logano to third with a lap of 175.747 in a Chevrolet.
Series points leader and last week’s winner at Texas, Greg Biffle, was 17th and the quickest Ford driver.
Allmendinger, who joined Penske Racing this year, came closest to his first Sprint Cup win when he finished runner-up to Ryan Newman at Martinsville. Now his eyes are set on a victory for his new team.
"More than anything, I put so much pressure on my shoulders to go out there and perform," Allmendinger said. "They [his team] are used to winning, running up front, getting poles. It's good just to build momentum.
"So, hopefully, we have a solid 400 miles. It's good [the pole], but we know the bigger picture's on Sunday, and I'm happy to be part of the team."
Tim Andrews, Jeff Green and Tony Raines failed to qualify for Sunday’s race.