ALMIROLA LEADS FORD SWEEP IN NASCAR QUALIFYING AT ATLANTA

Aric Almirola gave the new Mustang its first pole of the NASCAR season in Ford sweep of NASCAR Cup qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga.

Almirola turned a lap at 181.472 mph Friday to take the top qualifying spot and deny Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer a slot on the front row. Bowyer was fastest in the lone practice session of the day but slipped to third, behind Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

"It's cool to be the first guy to put the Ford Mustang on the pole," Almirola said. "It's like my first one in seven years, too."

The pole is the second of Almirola's career, but first since 2012 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600.

Ford was the heavy favorite to win last week's Daytona 500 but was locked out of even a podium finish as Toyotas took all three of the spots. Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, and led two of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates across the finish line for the sweep, and was the highest-qualifying Toyota driver at Atlanta in fourth.

Daniel Suarez, another SHR driver, qualified fifth in a strong day for that camp. Only Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, struggled but his issue was a steering problem that hampered his team all afternoon. He qualified 18th.

Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, was the only SHR driver not to advance to the final round of qualifying. He struggled with a steering problem all afternoon and qualified 18th, unsure of what to expect of a competition package that will be introduced in Sunday's race. NASCAR has overhauled the rules package this season to slow the cars, bunch them together and create a more competitive on-track product, but because it is untested, Sunday is a mystery for most of the field.

— Associated Press