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Brad Keselowski gets second pole of the season at Michigan

Nick Bromberg
·College football and motorsports writer
BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 09: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, drives during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 09, 2019 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Brad Keselowski posted the fastest lap in qualifying on Friday. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

After going nearly two years without a pole position, Brad Keselowski now has two in the last four races.

Keselowski went out last in qualifying on Friday at Michigan and posted the fastest lap of the session to bump Kevin Harvick to the second starting spot. Before Keselowski got the pole at New Hampshire in July, his most recent pole had been for this same race at Michigan in 2017.

Keselowski, a Michigan native, has never won a Cup race at Michigan. And he’s spoken multiple times about how important a win would be for him in his home state. He was asked Friday how aggressive he would be in the final laps on Sunday if the win was in sight and, in perfect Brad Keselowski fashion, he had a unique answer.

“I don't know. You don't really know until you are in those shoes,” Keselowski said. “That question always reminds me of the story of the guy that fell down in a canyon by himself and a rock fell on his arm so he bit his own arm off to get out.

“So people ask you what you would do to survive if you have to and I am guessing he never would have guessed that he would do that. I don't know what I am capable of either or what I would do. I hope I don't have to bite my own arm off. With that in mind, I think without a doubt I would do more for this race than most any other.”

Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman will start on the second row and Clint Bowyer, Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, starts fifth.

Starting lineup

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Kevin Harvick

3. William Byron

4. Alex Bowman

5. Clint Bowyer

6. Chase Elliott

7. Austin Dillon

8. Ryan Blaney

9. Joey Logano

10. Paul Menard

11. Daniel Hemric

12. Jimmie Johnson

13. Daniel Suarez

14. Aric Almirola

15. Kurt Busch

16. Denny Hamlin

17. Martin Truex Jr.

18. Erik Jones

19. Kyle Larson

20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

21. Matt Tifft

22. Ryan Newman

23. Ty Dillon

24. Kyle Busch

25. Michael McDowell

26. David Ragan

27. Chris Buescher

28. Bubba Wallace

29. Matt DiBenedetto

30. Landon Cassill

31. Ryan Preece

32. Ross Chastain

33. Corey LaJoie

34. Quin Houff

35. Austin Theriault

36. Cody Ware

37. Garrett Smithley

38. Spencer Boyd

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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