Jeff Gordon has bounced back from last week's heartbreaking elimination from the championship race by winning the pole for Sunday's season finale.

Gordon turned a lap at 180.747 mph in Friday qualifying to earn the top starting spot. He's racing only for the trophy because he did not qualify for the four-driver championship field.

Gordon was bumped from the finale when Ryan Newman used an aggressive pass of Kyle Larson on the last lap at Phoenix to snatch the final spot in the championship round away from Gordon.

Kevin Harvick will lead the title contenders Sunday by starting fifth. Denny Hamlin will start eighth and Joey Logano will start 12th. Newman was the worst qualifier at 21st.

 

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