Yahoo Autos Harvick Takes Richmond Pole From Toyota Contingent
Even for members of another top team like Stewart-Haas Racing, it's a tough time to be anything but a Joe Gibbs Racing or JGR-affiliated driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this time of year. With the top Toyota team seemingly leading every session it can and taking dominant win after dominant win, any success is big, so Kevin Harvick has more than a little reason to be happy with his pole for tomorrow's race in Richmond.
In fact, three different cars can claim the honor of starting ahead of JGR's best this weekend, with Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson also getting in times faster than fourth-placed Carl Edwards and fifth-placed Denny Hamlin. Unfortunately for that group, however, all four of the team-run JGR Toyotas are starting within the grid's top thirteen, and with every member of the team specifically great at short tracks, there's a very real chance that any of their four drivers could be leading the race before lap 25.
Tony Stewart was once a short track ace in his own right, but after notably struggling on them of late (even in his 2011 championship season, he put up woeful results in both of his races at Bristol and his first at Martinsville), his troubles continue into what is his first race since returning from an offseason back injury. He rolls off 18th, and though his final season as a driver may be off to an inauspicious start, the future full-time team owner in him can at least celebrate the strong performances by teammates Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick. Hopefully he won't spend too much time thinking about his 2017 replacement Clint Bowyer, however, as his miserable season with HScott Motorsports continues from 39th on the 40-car grid.
Notably, Brian Scott will be the race's top rookie starter in 20th for Richard Petty Motorsports, ahead of both Chase Elliott (23rd) and Ryan Blaney (29th) despite their recent hot streaks.
The race will air at Sunday at 10:00 AM on Fox, the last non-marquee race of the season on the network before a summer stretch in which most Cup races will air on the company's cable affiliate, Fox Sports 1.
