Truex on pole for Kansas race

Martin Truex Jr. continued his winning ways at Kansas Speedway by capturing the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series playoff elimination race.

Truex already was assured of advancing to the round of eight after his victory at Charlotte, but he now heads into this weekend’s race looking for his fourth consecutive victory on a 1½-mile track.

He also earned the crucial first pit stall for next week’s race at Martinsville.

Truex was followed by playoff contenders Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch was eighth, Jamie McMurray was ninth and Brad Keselowski was 11th after winning last week at Talladega to punch his ticket to the next round. In other news: • Lewis Hamilton drove the Circuit of the Americas like he has won on the course four times before. The Mercedes driver and Formula One season championship leader posted the fastest laps in Friday’s two practice sessions for Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix, putting further pressure on title rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari. Hamilton’s quickest lap in a dry afternoon session was 1 minute, 34.668 seconds. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was second, 0.397 seconds behind. Vettel, who trails Hamilton by 59 points in the driver standings, was third. Vettel likely has to win or finish ahead of Hamilton on Sunday if he hopes to chase him down over the final four races. Hamilton has won the last three years at a Circuit of the Americas track that has favored Mercedes’ power.