Track:  Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval, Concord, North Carolina
Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski

Pole Time:  28.112 seconds

Pole Speed:  192.089 mph
TV/Radio: SPEED/PRN/SIRIUSXM

No. 34 Taco Bell Ford Qualifying Position: 30th

No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford Qualifying Position: 31st

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series prepares for its longest race of the season this weekend --Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Teams practiced in the 90-degree heat in the afternoon to prepare for the evening qualifying session, giving drivers a taste of the day-into-night conditions that will accompany Sunday's 600-mile race.

Front Row Motorsports came with a notebook full of information gleaned from last week's non-points All-Star Showdown at the same track, which helped them prepare for this weekend's points-paying event.  The No. 34 Taco Bell Ford team and the No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford team both worked through some handling issues in the afternoon practice and were able to make strong qualifying runs in the evening session.  David Gilliland qualified in the 30th position and Travis Kvapil successfully outran 11 of 12 "go-or-go-home" cars to qualify 31st.

Brad Keselowski earned his first pole of the 2011 season, edging out A.J. Allmendinger who will complete the front row.

Kvapil and the No. 38 team will have the opportunity to gain some ground in the owner point standings on Sunday.  Andy Lally and the No. 71 car failed to qualify after Lally spun on the second lap of his qualifying run.  T.J. Bell, Scott Wimmer, Tony Raines and Scott Riggs also failed to make the race.

There is no track activity scheduled for Friday.  The teams will be back at the track for two practice sessions on Saturday to prepare for Sunday's race.  FOX coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.

David Gilliland

Comments from Taco Bell Ford team driver David Gilliland after qualifying at Charlotte:  

"It was a pretty good run.  We were a little too free getting back to the gas, but our Taco Bell Ford Fusion was pretty good.  We were happy with that speed.  We picked up from practice, which everybody likely will because it's getting darker.

"Our early draw didn't help us, but I still feel really good about it.  This is the car we raced last week in the Showdown and we learned a lot, and brought it back without any scratches.  I feel good about the 600.  It's a long race and I think we'll be alright."

Travis Kvapil

Comments from Long John Silver's Ford team driver Travis Kvapil after qualifying at Charlotte: 

"I've got to say I was a little nervous because this was a really tough field.  But Jay Guy and the Long John Silver's team did a great job working on the car today.  We came with some pretty good notes that we learned from the Showdown, so we started in a pretty good position.  But we were fighting tight in Turn 3 all through practice and we still had a little of that in our qualifying run.

"We actually were a little conservative in qualifying, playing it safe.  But we're in the show and we've got Saturday to work on the car some more and get us ready to go 600 miles on Sunday.  I'm looking foward to it.  We'll be in good shape."

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