NASCAR Kansas 2014: Lineup, starting grid for Hollywood Casino 400

Kevin Harvick is on pole for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. Harvick had a fast lap of 197.621 mph in qualifying, just edging Brian Vickers for the pole. Vickers came in at 196.307 mph, with the top two rows being rounded out by Aric Almirola (196.15), Joey Logano (196.05), Jeff Gordon (196.05) and Brad Keselowski (196.021).

Harvick has made the pole 14 times in his career, and it’s his eighth of this year alone. He’s won four races from pole position, and has won pole at Kansas three times. He’s never run this fast at the track, however, with his qualifying speed setting a new track record.

Kansas marks the fourth race in the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, and the first of the Contender round. That means there are only 12 drivers still in contention for the championship. Keselowski, Logano and Harvick comprised the top three in the points standings, but those standings are now reset to zero for the Contender round under NASCAR’s new rules. This race is one of the most challenging of the season. It’s difficult to pass on the 1.5-mile track and it clearly favors front-runners.

The full lineup for the race: