Kahne takes Michigan pole, Roush back at track

Autoracing Betting Lines

08/13/2010 - Brooklyn, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kasey Kahne claimed the pole for the CARFAX 400 after posting the quickest lap in Friday's qualifying at Michigan International Speedway.

Kahne knocked Jimmie Johnson off the top position after he turned a lap of 187.183 m.p.h. around the two-mile oval for his second pole of the season and the 18th of his Sprint Cup Series career. Kahne started on the pole and won at Michigan in June 2006.

"I got through [turns] one and two really good, and I knew I was awesome getting into three," Kahne said. "I got there and had three lanes to choose from in three and four. I chose one [lane], and it didn't really work, but it still ended up on the pole."

Earlier this week, Kahne announced he will join Red Bull Racing in 2011 to drive one of their Sprint Cup cars. He will then move over to Hendrick Motorsports to drive Mark Martin's No.5 car the following year. Kahne currently is behind the wheel of the No.9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports.

Johnson qualified 0.02 seconds behind Kahne to start on the front row for the fourth time at Michigan. The four-time defending series champion has yet to win at this track, as well as Chicagoland, Homestead and Watkins Glen.

"I'm very proud of the effort we made today," Johnson said. "I certainly would have liked to won the pole. It's been Homestead of last year since we have won a pole. We've been close a few times."

Clint Bowyer took the third spot, while Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya, last weekend's race winner at Watkins Glen, rounded out the top-five.

Roush Fenway Racing teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth qualified sixth and seventh, respectively.

Team owner Jack Roush returned to the racetrack more than two weeks after he sustained serious injuries during a plane crash in Oshkosh, WI. Roush, who was released from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN earlier this week, arrived at Michigan wearing dark sunglasses. He ruptured his left eyeball and permanently has lost vision in that eye. He does expect to fly again.

"I feel very lucky," he said. "I had a damaged left cheek. I had a broken jaw, and I had a compression fracture in my back, and I've got a back brace for the compression fracture. I have hardware in my cheek. I still have packing in my nose, because they say its biodegradable, and it will come out on its own.

"I'm still uncomfortable with the fact that I can't breathe clearly through my nose. Everything will come back, and I was blessed to have great vision in two eyes, and now I've got great vision in one."

Roush resides 60 miles away from the two-mile track in Northville, MI.

Kevin Harvick, the current points leader, qualified eighth, followed by Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard.

Harvick currently holds a 185-advantage over Jeff Gordon, who qualified a disappointing 36th. Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., wound up two spots behind in 38th.

Mike Bliss, J.J. Yeley, Scott Riggs and Casey Mears failed to qualify.

Sunday's 400-mile race at Michigan is scheduled to start shortly after 1:00 p.m. (et).

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