DARLINGTON, S.C., March 19 (UPI) -- Kasey Kahne continued his solid rookie season Friday, grabbing the pole just ahead of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for Sunday's NASCAR Carolina Dodge Dealers 400.
Kahne ran his Dodge Intrepid around the 1.366-mile track at 171.716 miles per hour. Earnhardt was second at 171.154 mph in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo with Greg Biffle third at 171.083 mph in a Ford Taurus.
It was the second pole of the young season for Kahne, tying him with Ryan Newman for the series lead.
Kahne has not been worse than third in the last three Nextel Cup races, posting runner-up finishes to Matt Kenseth in North Carolina and Las Vegas. He was third last week in Atlanta, where Earnhardt earned his second win of he year.
Kenseth, who leads the Nextel Cup standings with 673 points, qualified 15th in his Ford.
Tony Stewart qualified eighth in a Chevrolet. He is second in the championship race, just ahead of Earnhardt and Kahne.
