Matt Kenseth takes pole at Michigan

A surging Joe Gibbs Racing took the top three spots in qualifying Friday for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway, with Matt Kenseth setting the pace.

Kenseth’s lap of 197.488 mph edged JGR teammates Denny Hamlin (196.900) and Carl Edwards (196.276).

Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) was the fastest non-JGR driver, starting fourth ahead of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Tony Stewart, who starts fifth. A fourth JGR driver, Kyle Busch, starts sixth.

Friday’s qualifying performances continued a recent strong trend by JGR teams. In addition to Busch, who recently won three consecutive races and four of five, Kenseth won at Pocono two weeks ago. Last week at Watkins Glen, Busch, Kenseth and Edwards all finished in the top 10.

“It’s never one thing,” said Kenseth about the team’s overall recent success. “I always feel that the better your teammates are, the harder we all run and work. It’s better for you. It lifts all of our performances and gives us a boost.”

Said Hamlin: “It’s a good sign that our organization is turning some heads now. It shows that we’re making strides. It almost becomes a challenge within yourself not to be the last in your organization. We gave a good effort but (Kenseth) was a little faster.”

Notes

▪ Aric Almirola was ill for much of Friday’s Cup practice session. After Truck series driver Matt Crafton filled in for a while, Almirola got in a few practice laps so that he would be eligible to attempt to qualify. He’ll start 30^th Sunday.

▪ Qualifying for the Truck series’ Careers For Veterans 200 at Michigan is set for 9:40 a.m. Saturday, with the race scheduled for a 1 p.m. start (Fox Sports One). Tyler Reddick leads Crafton by 11 points in the standings after finishing third at Pocono two weeks ago.

▪ Cars in all three of NASCAR’s national series this weekend will have decals in memory of former driver Buddy Baker, who died Monday.

▪ Ernest Pierce has been reinstated to Joe Gibbs Racing’s developmental crew after he successfully completed NASCAR’s substance abuse program.

▪ Dalton Millican, son National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel driver Clay Millican, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Tennessee on Wednesday night. Dalton Millican was 22.

This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Matt Kenseth takes pole at Michigan."