LOUDON, N.H. – After squeaking into the field for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship two weeks ago at Richmond International Raceway, Jeff Gordon’s championship hopes immediately took a big hit when he finished 35th in the first Chase event at Chicagoland Speedway.
Jeff Gordon Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Photo: Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images)
Gordon came to New Hampshire Motor Speedway already in full-on rally mode, 47 points behind the top spot in the standings after one of ten Chase events.
Top-five finishes the rest of the way seem the only hope for Gordon to crawl back into the championship picture.
Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Gordon began the climb in the most positive manner possible.
Gordon won the pole in qualifying Friday for Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was the 72nd career Sprint Cup Series pole for the four-time series champion.
“That felt great,” Gordon said. “To go out and get a pole on a non-restrictor [plate] track, we haven’t done that in a little while so this feels really good.”
Gordon toured the 1.058-mile NHMS oval in 28.232 seconds (134.911 mph) to score his second pole of the season and his fourth pole in 36 career starts at NHMS.
Kyle Busch was second fastest and will start outside of Gordon after posting a lap of 28.265 seconds (134.753 mph). Tony Stewart, the defending Sylvania 300 champion and reigning Sprint Cup Series champion will start third after a qualifying effort of 28.304 seconds (134.568 mph).
Qualifying saw six of the top-11 starting spots snared by drivers not in the Chase field, led by Busch. Other non-chasers in the top-11 included Brian Vickers (4th), Carl Edwards (5th), Paul Menard (7th), Ryan Newman (8th), Dave Blaney (10th) and Jeff Burton (11th).
Points leader Brad Keselowski will start 15th.
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