Kevin Harvick wins Atlanta pole, Tony Stewart qualifies 12th in his return to NASCAR

Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart (14) sits in his car as he waits to qualify for Sunday's Oral B USA 500 NASCAR auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday, Aug. 29, 2014, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (The Associated Press)

Kevin Harvick puts on his helmet as he prepares to qualify Sunday's NASCAR auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday, Aug. 29, 2014, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (The Associated Press)

Kevin Harvick has won the pole for the NASCARs Sprint Cup Series race Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick turned a fast lap of 29.118 seconds Friday night, as drivers sought track time with cloud cover and cooler temperatures for better grip.

Brad Keselowski will join Harvick on the front row after qualifying second. Rounding out the top five were Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth.

Tony Stewart, making his return to racing this weekend, qualified 12th at 29.504.

Stewart sat out three races after the sprint car he was driving struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr., who had stepped on the upstate New York dirt track to confront him.

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