Newman on the pole for Coca-Cola 600

Ryan Newman Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

“I love this racetrack,” said Newman, who proved it Thursday with a lap at 187.546 mph (28.793 seconds), barely edging Kurt Busch (187.292 mph) for the Coors Light Pole Award for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

“I like the speed. I like the banking. When I first came here with Buddy Baker, we drove around in a rental car, and after one lap, I told him I was going to like this place.”

Indeed, the pole was Newman’s ninth at Charlotte, the 46th of his career—tied with Junior Johnson for 10th all time—and his first of the season, extending his streak of seasons with at least one pole to 10.

Martin Truex Jr., who won last Saturday’s Sprint Showdown and finished second in the Sprint All-Star Race that followed, qualified third at 187.188 mph. Kasey Kahne (187.169 mph) was fourth, followed by four-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (186.974 mph).

Defending race winner David Reutimann, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer will start from positions six through 10, respectively. Series points leader Kevin Harvick qualified 23rd.

After watching other drivers run the high line in practice and during qualifying at the 1.5-mile track, Newman decided to do the same.

“I ran the high line, which I’ve never done in qualifying here before,” Newman said. “I’ve never run 200 mph into a corner up against the wall and made it stick. … That was the most courageous lap I probably could have ever had around here. I told the guys I was going to stick to what I ran in practice—and that was the top.”

Last Saturday, Penske Racing driver Helio Castroneves won the pole for the Indianapolis 500. That was on Kurt Busch’s mind when he made his qualifying run.

“With (owner) Roger (Penske) on the pole up at Indy, I was trying to deliver a pole down here in Charlotte,” said Busch, who drives Penske’s No. 2 Dodge. “It was close.”

Brad Keselowski completed the first of his two qualifying laps, but on the second, he spun in Turn 4 and smacked the concrete wall at the start of the tri-oval. Keselowski’s No. 12 Dodge slid through the infield grass and stopped about 30 feet short of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota, which was sitting in the qualifying line waiting for its turn on the track.

“It’s a shame,” Keselowski said. “This was a really fast racecar. We’ll try to get another one going.”

On Sunday, Keselowski will start from the rear in a backup car.