{"id":21124,"date":"2018-08-10T18:05:51","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T23:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=21124"},"modified":"2018-08-11T17:12:19","modified_gmt":"2018-08-11T22:12:19","slug":"denny-hamlin-edges-kyle-busch-for-second-straight-monster-energy-cup-pole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/10\/denny-hamlin-edges-kyle-busch-for-second-straight-monster-energy-cup-pole\/","title":{"rendered":"Denny Hamlin edges Kyle Busch for second straight Monster Energy Cup pole"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

BROOKLYN, Mich. \u2013 With a blistering lap at 202.794 mph (35.504 seconds) on Friday, Denny Hamlin<\/strong> won his second straight pole position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"

BROOKLYN, MI – AUGUST 10: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, poses with the pole award after qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consmers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 10, 2018 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

This time, he left no doubt as to who had the fastest car. Hamlin\u2019s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was fastest in opening practice\u2014and fastest in all three rounds of knockout qualifying at Michigan International Speedway.<\/p>\n

For the second straight week, Hamlin and JGR teammate Kyle Busch (202.731 mph) will start 1-2. Hamlin edged Busch by .011 seconds to earn his second Busch Pole Award of the season, his first at Michigan and the 28th<\/sup> of his career.<\/p>\n

A victory from the pole would continue Hamlin\u2019s streak of at least one victory per year, starting with his 2006 rookie season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a very important streak,\u201d Hamlin asserted. \u201cI think about it\u2026 I thought it was all over in 2013, the year that I broke my back (in a wreck at Auto Club Speedway), and we won in the final race of the season to keep the streak alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look back at the really great drivers of NASCAR, and they had long streaks, 10 years and above, of winning in a row, and you want to keep that going for sure. It\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Busch was on pace for the pole before losing time through Turns 3 and 4 in the money round.<\/p>\n

\"\"

BROOKLYN, MI – AUGUST 10: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, drives during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consmers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 10, 2018 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI thought 3 and 4 went OK,\u201d Busch said. \u201cCertainly, I don\u2019t think it was my best time through there. The first couple of runs, we\u2019d been fighting \u2018loose,\u2019 so you kind of drive a little differently to be ready for the loose situation, and then on the final run, we were tight.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guard your entry or guard your center or whatever you do for the loose, and that doesn\u2019t happen, and you\u2019re tight, and then you\u2019re too tight because you guarded for the loose. Just ever so slightly just missed it, I guess. Overall, I didn\u2019t think we were going to qualify there, so we\u2019re certainly pleased with that.<\/p>\n

\u201cDenny\u2019s been fast so far from unload, so good for them to capitalize on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Harvick, like Busch a six-time winner this season, qualified third at 202.100 mph. Erik Jones was fourth at 201.805 mph, putting three Gibbs Toyotas in the top four on the grid.<\/p>\n

The Richard Childress Racing duo of 2018 Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman will start from the third row after qualifying fifth and sixth, respectively. Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Alex Bowman completed the top 10.<\/p>\n

The No. 19 Toyota of Daniel Suarez, who had posted the third fastest lap in opening practice, twitched out of control in Turn 2 in the opening round and tapped the outside wall. Suarez posted no time for the session and will start from the back of the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just got loose,\u201d said Suarez, who had asked for adjustment after his car felt slightly tight in practice. \u201cWe just crossed the line. Once we got in the gray (out of the preferred groove), it was like being on ice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suarez was optimistic his team could fix the cosmetic damage and get it ready for Saturday\u2019s two practice sessions and Sunday\u2019s race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ll see the 19 passing a lot of cars on Sunday,\u201d Suarez said.<\/p>\n

Media Center Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Michigan2_MENCS_HamlinBusch_081018.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Consumers Energy 400<\/p>\n

Michigan International Speedway<\/p>\n

Brooklyn, Michigan<\/p>\n

Friday, August 10, 2018<\/p>\n

               1. (11)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 202.794 mph.<\/p>\n

               2. (18)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, 202.731 mph.<\/p>\n

               3. (4)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 202.100 mph.<\/p>\n

               4. (20)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 201.805 mph.<\/p>\n

               5. (3)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 201.748 mph.<\/p>\n

               6. (31)  Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 201.658 mph.<\/p>\n

               7. (78)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 201.421 mph.<\/p>\n

               8. (12)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 201.309 mph.<\/p>\n

               9. (22)  Joey Logano, Ford, 201.230 mph.<\/p>\n

               10. (88)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 201.185 mph.<\/p>\n

               11. (10)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 200.524 mph.<\/p>\n

               12. (41)  Kurt Busch, Ford, 200.033 mph.<\/p>\n

               13. (17)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 200.842 mph.<\/p>\n

               14. (21)  Paul Menard, Ford, 200.814 mph.<\/p>\n

               15. (1)  Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 200.574 mph.<\/p>\n

               16. (14)  Clint Bowyer, Ford, 200.267 mph.<\/p>\n

               17. (42)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200.072 mph.<\/p>\n

               18. (2)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 199.590 mph.<\/p>\n

               19. (48)  Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 199.496 mph.<\/p>\n

               20. (24)  William Byron #, Chevrolet, 199.231 mph.<\/p>\n

               21. (9)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 199.077 mph.<\/p>\n

               22. (43)  Bubba Wallace #, Chevrolet, 197.721 mph.<\/p>\n

               23. (37)  Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 197.596 mph.<\/p>\n

               24. (38)  David Ragan, Ford, 197.439 mph.<\/p>\n

               25. (47)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 197.352 mph.<\/p>\n

               26. (6)  Trevor Bayne, Ford, 197.298 mph.<\/p>\n

               27. (13)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 197.298 mph.<\/p>\n

               28. (95)  Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 197.287 mph.<\/p>\n

               29. (34)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 196.512 mph.<\/p>\n

               30. (32)  Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 196.383 mph.<\/p>\n

               31. (00)  Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 195.567 mph.<\/p>\n

               32. (72)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 193.533 mph.<\/p>\n

               33. (51)  BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 191.744 mph.<\/p>\n

               34. (99)  Gray Gaulding, Chevrolet, 190.446 mph.<\/p>\n

               35. (15)  Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 189.663 mph.<\/p>\n

               36. (7)  Garrett Smithley(i), Chevrolet, 188.344 mph.<\/p>\n

               37. (66)  Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 185.648 mph.<\/p>\n

               38. (96)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Toyota, 184.054 mph.<\/p>\n

               39. (23)  Blake Jones, Toyota, 182.315 mph.<\/p>\n

               40. (19)  Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 0.000 mph.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BROOKLYN, Mich. \u2013 With a blistering lap at 202.794 mph (35.504 seconds) on Friday, Denny Hamlin won his second straight pole position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. This time, he left no doubt as to who had the fastest car. Hamlin\u2019s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":21126,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[645,41,219,16],"class_list":["post-21124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-consumers-energy-400","tag-denny-hamlin","tag-michigan-international-speedway","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/357236.jpg?fit=5246%2C3492","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-5uI","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21124"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21130,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21124\/revisions\/21130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}