Kevin Harvick will start from pole position Thursday night at Kansas Speedway, the first time he will lead the NASCAR Cup starting lineup to the green flag this season.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver’s best starting position in 2020 was second in qualifying for the March 8 race at Phoenix Raceway.
Since NASCAR’s return during the new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) (with most fields set by random drawing), the No. 4 Ford’s best starting point had been a third at Kentucky Speedway. Harvick had started out of the top five in seven of the last 10 Cup races, but his luck changed when NASCAR randomly established the lineup for Kansas on Wednesday.
INITIAL ALIGNMENT: Where everyone will start in the Cup race in Kansas
Harvick has three Cup wins in Kansas, the most recent in the May 12, 2018 race on the 1.5-mile track.
Joey Logano’s No. 22 will start second alongside Harvick, making him a front row for Ford for the second consecutive race. Fords will also comprise the second row with Aric Almirola starting third and Ryan Blaney fourth.
Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota will start fifth alongside Alex Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet in sixth.
Here are the following three rows in order:
Brad Keselowski (seventh), Kyle Busch (eighth), Kurt Busch (ninth), Denny Hamlin (10th), Chase Elliott (11th) and Matt DiBenedetto (12th).
Other notable:
Matt Kenseth (14), William Byron (15), Austin Dillon (16), Bubba Wallace (17), Clint Bowyer (19), Jimmie Johnson (20), Erik Jones (21), Tyler Reddick (23).
The field was ordered on Wednesday afternoon through a random drawing of the following groups:
- Positions 1-12: Random draw of charter teams in those positions in owner points
- Positions 13-24: Random draw of charter teams in those positions in owner points
- Positions 25-36: Random draw of charter teams in those positions in owner points
- Positions 37-40: Open teams in order of owner points
Click here to view the starting lineup of the Kansas Cup for Thursday’s race.
NASCAR Cup Series in Kansas
Race time: 7:30 pm ET Thursday
Track: Kansas Speedway; Kansas City, Kansas (1.5 mile race track)
Length: 267 laps (400.5 miles)
Stages: Stage 1 ends lap 80. Stage 2 ends lap 160
Television coverage: NBCSN
Radio: Motor Racing Network (also SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Transmission: NBC Sports app (subscription required); mrn.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
Next Xfinity Race: Saturday in Kansas (167 laps, 250.5 miles) 5 pm ET on NBCSN
Next truck race: Friday in Kansas (134 laps, 201 miles) 7 pm ET on FS1
