Kahne has pole for season finale; Bill Elliott starts 43rd

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Jimmie Johnson will start from the middle of the pack as he tries to wrap up the Nextel Cup driving title on Sunday.

Johnson has qualified 15th for the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he'll begin the race four spots ahead of Matt Kenseth. Johnson finished second last weekend to open a 63-point lead over Kenseth.

Dawsonville's Bill Elliott will start 43rd after getting a past champions exemption for the race.

Kasey Kahne will start from the pole as he tries to earn his seventh win of the year. Kahne had a top lap of 178.259 mph to finish just ahead of Evernham teammate Scott Riggs. But Kahne is mathematically eliminated from championship contention.

Kevin Harvick will be 90 points behind Johnson when he starts in the fourth row for Sunday's race.

Ford 400 lineup
NASCAR-Nextel-Ford 400 Lineup
After Friday's qualifying; race Sunday
At Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead, Fla.
Lap length: 1.5 miles
(Car number in parentheses)

1. (9) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 178.259 mph.

2. (10) Scott Riggs, Dodge, 178.218.

3. (5) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 178.118.

4. (19) Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 178.059.

5. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 177.983.

6. (25) Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 177.288.

7. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 177.270.

8. (18) J.J. YeleyChevrolet, 177.084.

9. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 177.009.

10. (07) Clint BowyerChevrolet, 176.945.

11. (41) Reed SorensonDodge, 176.881.

12. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 176.840.

13. (01) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 176.719.

14. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 176.621.

15. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 176.569.

16. (12) Ryan Newman, Dodge, 176.505.

17. (49) Mike Bliss, Dodge, 176.396.

18. (14) Sterling Marlin, Chevrolet, 176.384.

19. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 176.344.

20. (1) Martin Truex Jr.Chevrolet, 176.292.

21. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 176.108.

22. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 176.016.

23. (40) David StremmeDodge, 176.016.

24. (33) Scott Wimmer, Chevrolet, 175.999.

25. (22) Dave Blaney, Dodge, 175.959.

26. (6) Mark Martin, Ford, 175.879.

27. (66) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, 175.810.

28. (15) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 175.667.

29. (30) Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 175.581.

30. (43) Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 175.553.

31. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 175.507.

32. (09) Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 175.473.

33. (11) Denny HamlinChevrolet, 175.359.

34. (32) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 175.319.

35. (7) Robby Gordon, Chevrolet, 175.256.

36. (2) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 175.228.

37. (21) Ken Schrader, Ford, 175.222.

38. (45) Kyle Petty, Dodge, 174.961.

39. (42) Casey Mears, Dodge, 174.447.

40. (96) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, owner points.

41. (88) Dale Jarrett, Ford, owner points.

42. (26) Jamie McMurray, Ford, owner points.

43. (00) Bill Elliott, Chevrolet, past champion.

Failed to Qualify

44. (4) Ward Burton, Chevrolet, 174.927.

45. (72) Brandon Whitt, Chevrolet, 174.514.

46. (95) Casey Atwood, Ford, 174.295.

47. (78) Kenny Wallace, Chevrolet, 174.182.

48. (06) Todd Kluever, Ford, 174.126.

49. (60) David Ragan, Ford, 173.734.

50. (55) Michael Waltrip, Dodge, 173.033.

51. (27) Mike Skinner, Chevrolet, 172.507.

52. (74) Derrike Cope, Dodge, 170.352.

53. (61) Kevin Lepage, Dodge, 170.277.

54. (46) Carl Long, Dodge, 169.396.

55. (34) Chad Chaffin, Dodge, 167.801.

56. (89) Morgan Shepherd, Dodge, no speed.