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Kevin Harvick wins Cup pole at Kansas Speedway

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during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 11, 2018 in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sarah Crabill

Kevin Harvick will start first in Saturday’s Cup race at Kansas Speedway after earning his second pole of the year.

He won the pole with a speed of 188.811 mph. It’s a career-best fourth pole for Harvick at the 1.5-mile track.

Harvick, who won last week at Dover, will be joined on the front row by Ryan Blaney (187.826 mph).

The top five is completed by Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola and Brad Keselowski.

Almirola’s starting spot is his best of the year.

Jimmie Johnson will start 23rd and Jamie McMurray will start 24th after neither made a lap in Round 2. Fox Sports 1 reported Johnson wasn’t comfortable with his car in the first round and didn’t want to risk making any more laps.

McMurray’s team couldn’t get his car to start for the second round.

That was after Johnson and McMurray’s teams scrambled to get their cars on the track after having to go through inspection multiple times.

“We intended on running again, but for some reason the engine wouldn’t start,” McMurray said. “The starter would only spin it over for like one revolution and then the starter would disengage. We really tried hard to get it to start and just couldn’t ever get it to fire again. We will start wherever we are at there and yeah, nothing we could do about it.”

Kyle Larson spun in Turn 4 in Round 2. If the team changes tires on the No. 42 Chevrolet, that would force Larson to start from the rear. It would also be the second consecutive race Larson has had to start from the rear.

Six drivers did not make a qualifying attempt after their cars failed to get through inspection in time. That includes Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Matt DiBenedetto, Kasey Kahne, Timmy Hill and Michael McDowell.

They will all start from the rear of Saturday’s race.

“We’re stuck back there in jail,” Bowyer told FS1. “Pretty bad taste in my mouth right now. It’s hard not to go off because it’s frustrating. You’re sitting there watching the guys. The body was off, they made some adjustments and went back through and then the chassis is off.”

Click here for qualifying results.