Jeff Gordon tops 205mph to earn Michigan pole

Jeff Gordon has secured his 76th career Sprint Cup pole, sixth at Michigan, and his second in succession with a lap of 206.558mph. Team Penske's Joey Logano will start alongside. Gordon's speed is the seventh fastest pole lap in NASCAR history.

I’m so excited about the way our race team is performing right now.

Jeff Gordon

Carl Edwards starts third, Brian Vickers fourth, Brad Keslowski fifth, Kevin Harvick sixth, Paul Menard seventh, Austin Dillon eighth, Jamie McMurray ninth, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tenth.

Jeff Burton, driving the No. 14 as Tony Stewart's substitute, qualified 27th. Hendrick Motorsport drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson surprised with poor qualifying runs of 25th and 30th.

Earlier this year, Jimmie Johnson won here from the seventh position. There were no DNQ's because only 43 cars showed up for this event.

Jeff Gordon was estatic after securing pole, telling reporters "What our team is doing right now, it’s just phenomenal how they continue to improve race cars and just the whole effort," said Gordon. “I’m just so proud of them. You don’t go around this place like that, that fast without a really good race car. 

Sprint Cup teams will two practices on Saturday to dial in cars for ahead of the Pure Michigan 400.