Kasey Kahne will start out front at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Kasey Kahne hears the talk in the garage -- and fans should be encouraged.

While some drivers likely will run at the back of the pack during Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, there could be a gold-rush charge to the front by others.

"I feel like there's more guys talking about racing throughout the whole race than what there's been the last few times we've been here,'' Kahne said. "There's Chase guys, there's guys outside of the Chase that have struggled maybe this year or had some bad luck this year and they could really change it around at a track like this. I could see it pretty aggressive at times.''

They'll all be chasing Kahne, who earned his third pole of the season Saturday with a lap of 191.455 mph. It marked the fourth consecutive Talladega race a Hendrick Motorsports car has started first.

Ryan Newman starts second after a lap of 191.145 mph with Clint Bowyer next at 191.119 mph.

Points leader Brad Keselowski qualified 22nd -- behind every Chase driver but Denny Hamlin, who starts 23rd.

Keselowski, a two-time Talladega winner, isn't worried about his starting spot.

"I think that we've proven that the only lap that matters is the last one,'' he said.

Keselowski has a five-point lead on Jimmie Johnson, who starts 17th. Johnson hasn't finished the three previous restrictor-plate races this season.

"Oh, I'm aware of it,'' Johnson said. "We've crashed out of three. So we're bound to finish one.''

One would think. Then again ...

"We don't really know what to expect,'' Johnson said. "But the one thing is that it's the same for everything. Everybody is coming in here with a lot to lose if things go the wrong way, or a lot to gain if things turn out. So it's hard to give a clear championship picture at this point.''

After qualifying, drivers have a clearer idea of what they'll do Sunday.

Bowyer, who has won the past two fall races here, admits his plans changed after qualifying third.

"I'm blown away, shocked that we were top three,'' Bowyer said. "We haven't been qualifying very good on these restrictor-plate tracks and today it caught me off-guard. I kind of figured that we were going to qualify poorly and ride around in the back. We're in the front and I'm going to try to stay there."