When the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes the green flag for Saturday night’s Quaker State 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet will line up seventh. Earnhardt Jr. registered a lap of 180.222 mph (29.963 sec.) in qualifying Friday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway. Dale Jr.’s teammate Jimmie Johnson set a new track record with a fast time of 181.818 mph (29.700 sec.) besting Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman will make up the remainder of the top five.

Speaking about his team’s chances in Saturday’s 267-lap race, Earnhardt Jr. said, “. I feel like we are a better team this year, so we are anticipating having a good weekend and just ready to get after it.”

The qualifying session was halted for 15 minutes because of winds in excess of 50 miles per hour in the Sparta, Ky. area.

Coverage of the Quaker State 400 begins Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT.