CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Kevin Harvick will start the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup on the pole for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Harvick laid down a lap of 196.029 mph Thursday night to win his first pole of the season. While Harvick has gone to victory lane three times at Charlotte, the pole is his first at the speedway in 32 starts.
“I just felt like I got to the green a little bit better,” Kevin Harvick told NBC Sports about the final round of qualifying. “The car was too loose the time before and I got to the green better that time anticipating it and got through (Turns) 1 and 2 good. Felt like I gave up some in (Turns) 3 and 4 coming to the checkered, but all in all, just have to thank Busch Beer, Jimmy John’s, everybody on this team ... This has just been a fun car to drive today. Hopefully, we can get it dialed in for race trim.”
Harvick will lead the field to the green flag alongside Alex Bowman, who clocked in second at 196.000 mph. The career-best qualifying effort for Bowman comes in his fifth start driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88.
Chase Elliott qualified third at 195.759 mph with Kyle Busch qualifying fourth at 195.228 mph and Tony Stewart qualifying fifth at 195.228 mph.
Kurt Busch qualified the worst of the Chase drivers with a lap of 192.205 mph. Busch will start 23rd on Saturday night.