Jeff Gordon has won 2 of 3 poles this season. (Getty)
There’s a first time for everything.
<a href="Jeff Gordon://”>Jeff Gordon won the pole Friday for this weekend’s Kobalt 400, his first-career top qualifying finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And in the process he set a track record with a 27.738 second lap (194.679 mph) around the 1.5 mile paved surface.
But then Gordon’s rough early season got even rougher.
Saturday during final practice, Danica Patrick spun out and Gordon smacked into her, damaging his car. Gordon will have to use his backup car Sunday and force him to start at the back of the pack.
Just when u think everything is starting to go your way 10 spins in front of u & ruins ur day & the @3MRacing @TeamChevy. Going to backup!
It has been that kind of year so far for the veteran. He began in position No. 1 in the schedule-opening Daytona 500, but crashed on the final lap and finished 33rd. Gordon also crashed late last week in Atlanta and came in 41st place.
Daytona winner Joey Logano finished second to Gordon Friday. Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were 3rd and 4th, respectively.
Here’s what you need to know about the Kobalt 400:
The Basics
What:
When:
Sunday
Where:
Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, Nevada
Time:
FOX prerace coverage begins at 3 p.m. Eastern; Race Green Flag: 3:46 p.m. Eastern
Channel:
Fox
Last Year’s Race
1. Brad Keselowski; 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.; 3. Paul Menard
Kobalt 400 Lineup
Kasey Kahne will start third in Sunday’s Kobalt 400. (Getty)
Kobalt 400 Odds
Jimmie Johnson #48 … 4/1
Kevin Harvick #4 … 9/2
Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 … 11/2
Jeff Gordon #24 … 8/1
Joey Logano #22 … 9/1
Matt Kenseth #20 … 11/1
Brad Keselowski #2 … 12/1
Carl Edwards #19 … 12/1
Kasey Kahne #5 … 14/1
Kyle Larson #42 … 18/1
Martin Truex Jr. #78 … 20/1
Denny Hamlin #11 … 21/1
Ryan Newman #31 … 30/1
Tony Stewart #14 … 38/1
Jamie McMurray #1 … 40/1
Clint Bowyer #15 … 50/1
Greg Biffle #16 … 50/1
David Ragan #18 … 70/1
Paul Menard #27 … 75/1
Austin Dillon #3 … 85/1
Brian Vickers #55 … 125/1
A.J. Allmendinger #47 … 175/1
Regan Smith #41 … 200/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 … 200/1
Ryan Blaney #21 … 200/1
Sam Hornish Jr. #9 … 200/1
Trevor Bayne #6 … 200/1
Aric Almirola #43 … 250/1
Danica Patrick #10 … 275/1
Justin Allgaier #51 … 300/1
Casey Mears #13 … 350/1
Brendan Gaughan #62 … 500/1
Landon Cassill #40 … 500/1
David Gilliland #38 … 750/1
Brett Moffitt #34 … 1000/1
Brian Scott #33 … 1000/1
J.J Yeley #23 … 1000/1
Jeb Burton #26 … 1000/1
Alex Bowman #7 … 1200/1
Cole Whitt #35 … 1200/1
Josh Wise #98 … 1200/1
Michael Annett #46 … 1200/1
Michael McDowell #95 … 1200/1