sRACING roundup

NASCAR-SPRINT CUP

Harvick tops Kansas record to win pole

KANSAS CITY, Kan.

Kevin Harvick is the one to beat once again at Kansas Speedway.

Harvick shattered his own track record and won the pole to start the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship Sunday. After setting the mark at 197.773 mph in his second round of qualifying, he turned a lap of 197.621 in the final round to earn the pole.

The previous record of 194.658 was set by Harvick in the spring.

“For whatever reason this fits everything I have going on with my driving style,” said Harvick, who won his third straight pole at Kansas and also won last year’s Chase race.

“In the end it comes down to having a fast car. We have a fast car.”

He has had that most of the season, too. The pole was Harvick’s eighth this year.

“With a little bit of good luck we can beat every car on the race track any given week at any style of race track, and that’s really positive feeling to have as a driver,” he said. “If the chips fall right we have the cars and the speed to do what we need to do.”

Brian Vickers qualified second with a lap of 196.307. Aric Almirola was third.

Joey Logano began a run of five Chase contenders by qualifying fourth. Jeff Gordon was next, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Tony Stewart qualified ninth, his best effort since returning to the track following the Sprint Car accident that killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a track in upstate New York.

Chase contenders Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin were tied to the thousandth of a second for the final transfer spot in the first round of qualifying, each turning a lap of 193.736 mph.

With all the uncertainty that accompanies the restrictor-plate superspeedway in Alabama, Harvick and the rest of the Chase contenders want to get off to a good start this weekend.

“Our cars are fast, we’re qualifying well, our pit stops are good, cars are reliable. Everything is good,” Harvick said. “We just need a little good luck.”

NHRA

Doug Kalitta leads Top Fuel qualifying

MOHNTON, PA.

Doug Kalitta led Top Fuel qualifying Friday in the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway with a 3.747-second pass at 326.95 mph.

“This is definitely the time to get going if we are going to make something happen,” said Kalitta, fifth in the season standing with three events left. “The conditions are really good here. I’m really proud of my guys getting low qualifier after day one.”

Cruz Pedregon topped the Funny Car field, Erica Enders-Stevens was the fastest in Pro Stock, and Jerry Savoie took the Pro Stock Motorcycle lead.

Pedregon had a 3.991 at 319.52 in a Toyota Camry, Enders-Stevens finished in 6.513 at 211.76 in a Chevy Camaro, and Savoie had a 6.860 at 194.66 on a Suzuki.

FORMULA ONE

Hamilton sets pace in Japanese GP practice

SUZUKA, JAPAN

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix, edging teammate and Formula One rival Nico Rosberg on Friday.

Hamilton’s time of 1 minute, 35.078 seconds shortly after the halfway mark of the afternoon practice at the Suzuka circuit was 0.240 seconds ahead of Rosberg.

Hamilton leads Rosberg by three points heading into Sunday’s race, having won the past two races.

Wire reports