Johnson wins 2nd pole in row
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jimmie Johnson on Friday earned the pole for Sunday’s Lifelock 400 at Kansas Speedway, site of the third race in the 10-race Chase for the Championship.
It was the second straight pole and the 12th of his career for Johnson, who finished 14th last week at Dover.
On Friday, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet went around the 1.5-mile tri-oval at a top speed of 175.063 mph. Ryan Newman’s Dodge qualified second at 174.893 mph, but the car failed inspection because the roof was too low.
Newman will start Sunday’s race from the back, moving Matt Kenseth’s Ford to the outside front after a quick lap of 174.284 mph.
Johnson was leading late in the 2006 race when he pitted for a splash of gas with four laps to go. He was hit with a penalty for speeding on pit road, dropped to 14th and watched as Tony Stewart ran out of fuel and crawled across the finish line for the win.
“I’ve put the majority of it behind me,” said Johnson, who sits third in the Chase standings going into this weekend.
“Hopefully we can make some adjustments to the car and make sure our carburetor is adjusted right.”