Posted August 10, 2018 by Dominic Aragon Cup

Denny Hamlin on pole at Michigan

Denny Hamlin climbs into the No. 11 Toyota — (Photo by Tyler Head | The Racing Experts)

Denny Hamlin will lead the field to the green for the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway Sunday, eyeing his first win of the season.

Hamlin posted the fastest timed lap of 35.504 seconds (202.794 mph) in the final round of qualifying Friday at MIS.

The pole is Hamlin’s second of the season and 28th of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career. Hamlin is now in sole possession of 26th all-time for poles earned in NASCAR’s top series.

Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch (35.515 seconds; 202.731 mph) will start second, his seventh front-row start of 2018.

Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones and Austin Dillon rounded out the top-five qualifiers.

Clint Bowyer, the June Michigan winner, will start 16th.

The defending race winner, Kyle Larson, will start 17th.

The Consumers Energy 400 will be televised live on NBCSN Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

STARTING LINEUP
1) No. 11 Denny Hamlin
2) No. 18 Kyle Busch
3) No. 4 Kevin Harvick
4) No. 20 Erik Jones
5) No. 3 Austin Dillon
6) No. 31 Ryan Newman
7) No. 78 Martin Truex Jr.
8) No. 12 Ryan Blaney
9) No. 22 Joey Logano
10) No. 88 Alex Bowman
11) No. 10 Aric Almirola
12) No. 41 Kurt Busch
13) No. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
14) No. 21 Paul Menard
15) No. 1 Jamie McMurray
16) No. 14 Clint Bowyer
17) No. 42 Kyle Larson
18) No. 2 Brad Keselowski
19) No. 48 Jimmie Johnson
20) No. 24 William Byron
21) No. 9 Chase Elliott
22) No. 43 Bubba Wallace
23) No. 37 Chris Buescher
24) No. 38 David Ragan
25) No. 47 A.J. Allmendinger
26) No. 6 Trevor Bayne
27) No. 13 Ty Dillon
28) No. 95 Kasey Kahne
29) No. 34 Michael McDowell
30) No. 32 Matt DiBenedetto
31) No. 00 Landon Cassill
32) No. 72 Corey LaJoie
33) No. 51 B.J. McLeod
34) No. 99 Gray Gaulding
35) No. 15 Ross Chastain
36) No. 7 Garrett Smithley
37) No. 66 Timmy Hill
38) No. 96 Jeffrey Earnhardt
39) No. 23 Blake Jones
40) No. 19 Daniel Suarez