Marcos Ambrose used the fastest NASCAR qualifying lap in 25 years to win the pole for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan, posting an average speed of 203.241 mph to take the No. 1 qualifying spot.
Ambrose will lead the starting lineup ahead of Kevin Harvick (202.037 mph), Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman.
The pole was the first of Ambrose's career and came on a weekend where NASCAR has seen record speeds for a non-restrictor-plate track. No one had ever posted a 200 mph qualifying lap at a track other than Daytona and Talladega, and the last time NASCAR saw a 200 mph lap was at Talladega in 1987 – before the engines were restricted.
Matt Kenseth, Trevor Bayne, Tony Stewart, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top 10.
David Stremme and Stacy Compton failed to qualify for the race.
Here's the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan:
- Marcos Ambrose
- Kevin Harvick
- Greg Biffle
- Kasey Kahne
- Ryan Newman
- Matt Kenseth
- Trevor Bayne
- Tony Stewart
- Joey Logano
- Jimmie Johnson
- Denny Hamlin
- Regan Smith
- Clint Bowyer
- Mark Martin
- Aric Almirola
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Paul Menard
- Jamie McMurray
- AJ Allmendinger
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Austin Dillon
- Scott Riggs
- Casey Mears
- Brad Keselowski
- Kurt Busch
- Michael McDowell
- Jeff Gordon
- Mike Bliss
- Josh Wise
- Bobby Labonte
- Landon Cassill
- Jeff Burton
- Kyle Busch
- David Gilliland
- Dave Blaney
- Joe Nemechek
- David Ragan
- Travis Kvapil
- Ken Schrader
- Tony Raines
- Carl Edwards
- JJ Yeley