AJ Allmendinger keeps impressing on road courses with pole-winning run at Sonoma

A.J. Allmendinger poses by his car after winning the pole position qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race Saturday, June 27, 2015, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) (The Associated Press)

A.J. Allmendinger poses with his award after winning the pole position while qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race Saturday, June 27, 2015, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) (The Associated Press)

SONOMA, Calif. – AJ Allmendinger has won the pole for Sunday's road course race at Sonoma Raceway.

Allmendinger earned the top starting spot during Saturday's knockout qualifying with a lap 96.310 mph around the 10-turn, 1.99-mile course. It's the first pole for JTG Daugherty Racing, which earned its first berth in NASCAR's championship race last year when Allmendinger won on the Watkins Glen road course.

Kurt Busch will start second, followed by Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson and five-time Sonoma winner Jeff Gordon.

Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, David Ragan and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 10.