DOVER, Del. — When the rain hit Dover, Kevin Harvick was prepared.
Harvick’s team made the call in the middle of the week to send the No. 4 Chevrolet out for practice in its qualifying setup because rain was forecast for Friday.
With a Sprint Cup starting lineup set by practice speeds in the event of a qualifying rainout, Harvick had a needed edge. He posted the fastest lap of 165.145 mph in the only practice at Dover International Speedway and starts first for the first time this season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins Harvick on the front row for Sunday’s race. Joe Gibbs Racing placed Kyle Busch third and Carl Edwards fourth. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five. Stenhouse earned his third top-five start of the season.
Harvick, who had not won a pole through the first 11 races of the season, won the fall race at Dover.
“The guys have done a great job prepping the cars and hit on some things that we like,” Harvick said. “It has worked well over the past few years.”
The 2014 Cup champion, Harvick has one win this season and a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship secured.
But several other drivers who are regulars in the win column have a big zero next to their name — notably Kurt Busch, Earnhardt, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, and Martin Truex Jr.
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