NASCAR report: Kahne bounces back from Dover wreck to win Kansas pole

The Virginian-Pilot

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Five days later, Kasey Kahne was in a better mood.

After he was caught up in an early crash at Dover and finished 38th last Sunday, a frustrated Kahne said his championship hopes were all but finished.

Friday, after winning the pole at Kansas Speedway, he was more optimistic.

"You look at the points and there's definitely a chance," said Kahne, who is ninth, 182 points behind series leader Jeff Burton heading into Sunday's Banquet 400. "It's something that can be done. It's going to be tough. It's definitely possible if all the teams have hard luck."

That's asking a lot, but Jimmie Johnson nearly rallied from a 247-point deficit in the 2004 Chase.

If anyone can come back, it might well be Kahne, who has excelled most of the season on tracks similar to the 1.5-mile Kansas layout. This is the first of five remaining races on 1.5-mile tracks. He's driving a car that he's used in all five of his victories this season. His pole also was his fifth of the season.

Kahne took the top spot with a lap of 178.377 mph to beat teammate Scott Riggs (177.936 ). Jimmie Johnson (176.887 ), Brian Vickers (176.846) and J.J. Yeley (176.800) complete the top five.

Burton qualified 10th, with Jeff Gordon, second in the points, qualifying 11th.

Scott Wimmer, Kevin Le-page, Chad Blount and Carl Long failed to qualify.

Bill Elliott will start 39th on Sunday after a bizarre day for his team.

The lift gate on the hauler that unloads the cars broke.

The team couldn't get its car out until another team backed its hauler to the rear of the hauler containing Elliott's car. That allowed the team to roll Elliott's car on the lift gate of the other hauler.

That was completed nearly three hours after the garage opened, costing Elliott's team time to work on the car.

Hendrick Motorsports officials have barred Brian Vickers from post-practice meetings with drivers at which setups are discussed. Vickers will move to Team Red Bull after this season.

"Brian is still heavily involved, but as we all know, there are very few secrets in this sport," Jimmie Johnson said. "To have someone that is leaving and going to another race team involved with some the detailed conversations about some of the cars and technology wouldn't be smart on behalf of Hendrick Motorsports."

Bobby Labonte is driving a Busch car for Kevin Harvick Inc. Labonte will drive for the team in all but one of the remaining Busch races. He replaces rookie Burney Lamar. Harvick cited Lamar's slipping performance for the change.... Juan Pablo Montoya was sixth-fastest among 19 drivers who tested Friday at the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway, according to the ARCA series' Web site.