NASCAR Cup Series

Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Kevin Harvick, led the way for Team Chevy in knockout-style qualifying with a fourth place time at Kansas Speedway for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. Harvick, a former winner on the 1.5-mile track, who is currently one of six Team Chevy contenders currently in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, was able to rebound from a poor showing in an earlier practice session to turn a lap of 194.756 mph in his No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS.

RYAN BLANEY – No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion – “We got better from the first round to the second round. We had a really good second round and the 2 went a little quicker the last round, and I tried to get a little more and it bit us. I should have just did what I did the round before and see if it was a little bit faster, but I just tried to get too much and unfortunately lost a little bit of speed there, but I’m proud of everybody on this Motorcraft team. To not be at the race track every week and qualify in the top 10 is pretty cool, so I’m excited to get into race trim tomorrow.” WHAT DID YOU DO SPECIFICALLY IN ROUND THREE TO TRY AND GET A LITTLE MORE. WAS THERE A CERTAIN AREA YOU TRIED TO MAKE UP GROUND? “Just stay in the throttle more and it got a little tight on us.” JOEY LOGANO – No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion – “I don’t know. We haven’t been really fast since we started and I don’t know why. I don’t understand it completely, but our teammates are fast so we know what we have to do to go fast. We didn’t do it, that’s all.” DID YOU DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT TODAY OR EXPERIMENT SINCE YOU’RE ALREADY IN THE NEXT ROUND? “I wish I could say that because then we would have an excuse, but we’ll work on it more tomorrow and just try to figure it out. We’ve got plenty of time to get it.” DAVID GILLILAND – No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Fusion – “This track, the temperature isn’t changing a whole lot. It’s definitely chilly out right now, but the track has a lot grip when you’re out there by yourself, but when you’re in a pack of cars and you lose the air off your car – everybody trims their car in to have so much speed by itself and get the spoiler out of the air and everything you do to make speed and when you go racing it becomes a handful.” POLE-WINNING PRESS CONFERENCE BRAD KESELOWSKI – No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – “It’s been a really good day, but, of course there’s a long way to go. We need a really good finish is what we need, and hopefully a win and that’s still about 45 hours from now, so we’ve got to keep working. We have a lot to look forward to, so we’re proud of today for sure, but looking forward. That’s what matters.”

Brad Keselowski's pole-winning run on Friday at Kansas Speedway was an early Christmas present to second-place qualifier, Carl Edwards. Keselowski saved his best lap for the third and final round of knockout qualifying at the 1.5-mile track, touring the distance in 27.621 seconds (195.503 mph) to edge Edwards (195.454 mph) for the top starting spot by .007 seconds.

CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 SportClips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Starting Position: 2nd - How strong was the car in qualifying? “It’s a great effort for us and it’s close to that ‘P-one,’ awfully close."

Brad Keselowski was fastest in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series opening practice on Friday at Kansas Speedway. The driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Team Penske Ford set the fastest lap in first practice with a time of 27.785 and a speed of 194.349 mph.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 HALO 5 MASTER CHIEF CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Kansas Speedway and discussed his strategy moving forward in the Chase, what he likes about Kansas Speedway, last week’s incident with Carl Edwards and many other topics.

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 3M CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Kansas Speedway and discussed his thoughts on competing this weekend at Kansas, his memories of the quarter midget car that local Kansas City students gave him a replica of prior to his media availability, his thoughts on his current position in the Chase and many other topics.

CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 SportClips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - How was practice today and are you excited to be racing at Kansas? “It is definitely good to be here and be racing and be driving in the Sprint Cup Series at Kansas."

There is nothing more special than an unexpected gift at an unexpected time. That's why Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory delimeats, created an unforgettable moment for the Dizmang-Espy military family from Kansas City, Kan., when "The King" Richard Petty surprised them with a brand new 2016 Ford Fusion.

MARTIN TRUEX, JR., NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/VISSER PRECISION CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed his approach to this weekend at Kansas and next weekend at Talladega, the advantages of being a single-car team, his new sponsor, this thoughts on the 2016 rules package, and more.