Harvick wins pole for Richmond race

RICHMOND, Va. — Brad Keselowski has won three straight NASCAR Cup Series races, including last weekend’s playoff opener in Las Vegas, but the Big Three aren’t exactly going away quietly.

Kevin Harvick earned the pole position Friday for tonight’s race at Richmond Raceway, points leader Martin Truex Jr. will start third and Kyle Busch qualified 12th as each hunts for his second Cup Series championship. Harvick won the season title in 2014, Busch in 2015 and Truex last year. Keselowski won it all in 2012.

Harvick turned a lap at 121.880 mph Friday night to edge hometown favorite Denny Hamlin, whose best lap came at 121.847 mph. After several years as the last opportunity for drivers to qualify for the 10-race postseason, tonight the 0.75-mile, D-shaped track will be part of the playoffs for the first time.

Harvick never practiced for qualifying before winning his third pole of the season. It’s his second ever at Richmond ad 24th overall in 638 career starts.

Despite not prepping for qualifying, Harvick said he expected to run well.

“I am really pleased with our car in race trim,” he said, “and we were able to put together three rounds and squeak through in the second round and make good adjustments to the car.”

Ryan Blaney will start third, followed by Daniel Suarez, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, Keselowski, Erik Jones and Kyle Larson.

Hamlin, seeking his first victory of the season after 27 races, is 16th among the 16 drivers in the playoffs with the field set to be cut to 12 drivers after next weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has three Cup Series wins at Richmond.

Xfinity: Bell wins

Christopher Bell took the lead away from Matt Tifft with 13 laps to go and won the opening race of the Xfinity Series playoffs Friday night at Richmond Raceway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fourth in what he said would be his only start of the season. Earnhardt retired from NASCAR’s Cup Series last year and works as an analyst for NBC Sports.

Earnhardt led for much of the second half of the race, but he lost the lead to Tifft on pit road with 30 laps remaining.

Bell won for the fifth time this season, including twice at Richmond. On a night when series points leader Justin Allgaier crashed with about 25 laps to go, winding up 32nd, Bell also took the points lead with six playoff races to go.

Ross Chastain rallied to finish second, followed by Daniel Hemric.