Brian Vickers won yet another pole, his fifth one this season coming at Chicagoland Speedway.
Now the Red Bull Racing driver wants one of those starts to help get him to Victory Lane.
Vickers ran a lap of 184.162 mph on Thursday for his fifth pole this year and 10th in 191 career Cup races. Throw out races where qualifying laps were rained out, and Vickers has won the last three Sprint Cup poles. The Associated Press
Vickers’ teammate, Scott Speed, who was last among 46 drivers to make a qualifying attempt, posted a lap at 182.958 mph to edge Jimmie Johnson (182.217 mph) for the second starting spot.
Now with 10 career poles, what’s frustrating Vickers is the inability to convert his qualifying efforts into victories. Vickers’ only win in NASCAR’s Cup series came three years ago at Talladega. NASCAR.com
“That car was just unbelievable,” Vickers said. “It was good when we unloaded it, and (the team) made it better.”
Vickers became the eighth different pole winner in nine races at Chicagoland. Qualifying here was rained out last year.
Speed, the last driver in the 46-car field to qualify, posted a lap at 182.958 m.p.h. to secure the outside pole, equaling his best starting position in his Sprint Cup career. He also started second in last year’s season-finale at Homestead. Kansas City Star
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Chicagoland Speedway - Race Line-Up
“Going into qualifying, I knew had we had a shot certainly at a top five qualifying spot, but you also have to be bit cognizant of making the race,” Speed said. “Honestly, after the lap Brian threw up there, there was no point to push it to the absolute edge.”
Jimmie Johnson, still kicking himself for a mistake that allowed Kyle Busch to steal last year’s race in Joliet, nevertheless continued to put himself in position for a late-season charge toward a fourth straight Cup title, qualifying third at 182.217 m.p.h.
“We just didn’t guess right for the grip level that was out there and make the right adjustments,” Johnson said. “Still, obviously a great lap for us. We’ll take it.” Chicago Tribune
Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer round out the top five.
Points leader Tony Stewart was 32nd. Jeff Gordon, who trails Stewart by 180 points, was seventh. The Associated Press
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