BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Friday's qualifying session at Bristol Motor Speedway was a mixed bag for the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers.
Two left pleased with their prospects, while two said they will rely on the fact that it is a long race to dig out of starting positions outside of the top 20.
Kasey Kahne, who recorded the fastest time in Friday's practice session, will lead the fourth Hendrick Motorsports teammates to the green flag Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He qualified eighth, marking his sixth top-10 starting position in the past seven races.
“It felt pretty good with the Great Clips Chevrolet," he said.
Kahne was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to make the final round of Friday's qualifying session.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. narrowly missed the cut and will start Sunday afternoon's race from the 13th position.
"Our car had been real loose all day long, so I was pretty happy with the result because I didn't expect it to run very well after the first run, after the first session," Earnhardt said. "We just got looser and looser every cycle. But (crew chief) Greg (Ives) told me he's got some great ideas on how to fix the car, so I'm dying to get in there and hear what they are."
Jeff Gordon also made the second round but missed the final cut and will roll off the grid 23rd.
"Yeah, that's going to be challenging," he said. "The first lap was not bad, the second lap I just couldn't keep the back end underneath me getting into the corner. Twenty-third is not good. That is not at all where we want to start, but it's a long race, we've got a great team, and between pit road and pit strategy and adjustments and me searching around the racetrack, I feel like we'll be able to get up front. But first we've got to get the car dialed in."
Jimmie Johnson, meanwhile, failed to make the second round after his car proved too loose to post a top-24 time.
"Frustrating Friday -- Bristol can be that for us," Johnson said. "We always race a lot better, so we'll settle in, in the race and I think come out with a good finish. I love this racetrack, I just wish that I could show up, walk in the gates and take it to it like I do a lot of my other tracks that I'm strong at. Still a lot to learn. Even after coming here for 16 years, there's still a lot to learn for me here at Bristol."
Johnson acknowledged that the late choice in pit stall will be the toughest result of the qualifying effort. But he echoed Gordon's sentiment -- there's plenty of time to make up ground.
"We're in a big hole, there's no way around it," he said. "But this is a long race. You can still salvage a nice finish here out of being smart and running a strong race, and that's what we're going to have to do."
Matt Kenseth claimed the pole position.