Brad Keselowski Wins Pole For Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 At NHMS

LOUDON, N.H. – As spring turned to summer and NASCAR inched closer to its Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship, it’s been one of the hottest topics around the garage.

Brad Keselowski celebrates his Sprint Cup Series pole Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Photo: New Hampshire Motor Speedway)

Will the champion even make the playoffs?

Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski showed he’s ready in Loudon to fire himself back into Chase contention.

Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion, set a new track record in qualifying Friday for Sunday’s Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Keselowski goes into Sunday’s event winless in 2013 and 13th in the standings. If the Chase for the Championship started now he’d be on the outside looking in at the 10-race “playoff” for the title.

Keselowski toured the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway oval in 28.022 seconds (135.922 mph). Ryan Newman set the previous track qualifying record of 28.165 seconds (135.232 mph) in July 2011. Nine drivers eclipsed the previous record Friday.

“We’ve had good speed since we started here today and obviously there is a lot more to racing a race track than how fast you are in qualifying but it is still a good start,” Keselowski said. “We have a great race car here and I think our race team is ready. We have been close. We’ve had the speed the last few weeks to get the job done but different scenarios have bitten us. Those will come and go and I feel like they’ve went. This is our time.”

Points leader Jimmie Johnson was second fastest in qualifying but his time was disallowed after he failed post qualifying inspection involving ride height. Johnson will start at the rear of the field.

Kurt Busch (28.040 seconds, 135.835 mph) was third fastest in trials and will start second Sunday. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start third.