Harvick wins eighth pole of 2014 in Kansas qualifying

KANSAS CITY, KS - Kevin Harvick feels his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet can beat every other car on the track, and on Friday he did-for the eighth time this season.<br /> <br /> After destroying his own track record in the second round of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series knockout qualifying, Harvick sped around 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway in 27.235 seconds (197.621 mph) in the final session to win the pole for Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 and affirm his status as the speed car in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.<br /> <br /> The Coors Light pole award was Harvick's third straight at Kansas, his eighth of the season and the 14th of his career. Harvick's money lap was only slightly slower than the 197.773 mph he ran in posting the top speed in the second round, a lap that blew away the previous track record of 194.658 mph he set on May 9.<br /> <br /> Non-Chaser Brian Vickers qualified second at 196.307 mph for the first race in the Contender Round of the Chase. Aric Almirola (196.150 mph), eliminated from the Chase last week at Dover, claimed the third starting spot.<br /> <br /> Chase drivers occupied the next five spots on the grid: Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.<br /> <br /> Though Harvick now has eight poles, he has but two victories this year, and he hasn't won a Sprint Cup race since April at Darlington.<br /> <br /> "For whatever reason this (track) fits everything I have going on with my driving style," Harvick said. "In the end, it's about having fast cars. Obviously, last year we had a fast car, and this year we've had a fast car as well. I have to thank everyone on the Budweiser team for staying focused, continuing to build faster race cars and doing everything we need to do