For the third-straight week a Busch will start from pole in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but this time it’s Kyle Busch.
After having his pole at Atlanta rubbed out two weeks ago on a technical infraction; Kyle Busch ended the streak of his brother Kurt with the fastest time in Phoenix. It’s his third career pole at the track.
In a good sign for Joe Gibbs Racing, the Toyota team took the top three starting spots with Carl Edwards sharing the front row followed by Denny and the elder Busch sibling.
Busch delighted with the pole and pleased to have his team-mates up front with him to underline the performance of the Gibbs cars.
“I think it’s a combination of everything,” said Kyle Busch.
“I think when you can gain (corner) entry speed, you can gain centre speed, you can gain exit speed, straightaway speed. It just kind of all comes together.”
Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson collected the wall in the closing seconds of the third round of qualifying, bringing out the second red flag of the session. Johnson had had qualified fifth, but is expected to go to a back-up car and start off the rear.
The Hendrick cars were in the wars with Kasey Kahne also bringing out a red flag in the opening round of qualifying when his Chevrolet started smoking. That came after Ty Dillon (substituting for the injured Tony Stewart) found the fence.
Interestingly defending race winner Kevin Harvick qualified 18th. The 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion has scored seven wins at Phoenix.
VIDEO: Kyle Busch on pole in Phoenix
QUALIFYING : Good Sam 500 – Phoenix International Raceway
| POS. | CAR # | DRIVER | MAKE | SPONSOR | MPH | TIME | GAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Kyle Busch |  |
Skittles | 138.387 | 26.014 | Leader |
| 2 | 19 | Carl Edwards | |
Stanley | 137.515 | 26.179 | –0.165 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | |
FedEx Freight | 137.426 | 26.196 | –0.182 |
| 4 | 41 | Kurt Busch |  |
Monster Energy / Haas Automation | 137.394 | 26.202 | –0.188 |
| 5 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | |
LOWE’S PRO SERVICES | 137.174 | 26.244 | –0.230 |
| 6 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | |
Dollar General | 137.174 | 26.244 | –0.230 |
| 7 | 42 | Kyle Larson | |
Target | 137.033 | 26.271 | –0.257 |
| 8 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr | |
Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats | 136.934 | 26.290 | –0.276 |
| 9 | 22 | Joey Logano |  |
Pennzoil | 136.773 | 26.321 | –0.307 |
| 10 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | |
Fastenal Ford Fusion | 136.752 | 26.325 | –0.311 |
| 11 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | |
McDonald’s | 136.555 | 26.363 | –0.349 |
| 12 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | |
Motorcraft / Quick Lane Tire + Auto Center | 136.307 | 26.411 | –0.397 |
| 13 | 16 | Greg Biffle | |
Cheez-It Ford Fusion | 137.247 | 26.230 | –0.216 |
| 14 | 43 | Aric Almirola | |
Smithfield | 137.216 | 26.236 | –0.222 |
| 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | |
Dow | 137.091 | 26.260 | –0.246 |
| 16 | 27 | Paul Menard | |
Richmond/Menards | 137.028 | 26.272 | –0.258 |
| 17 | 24 | Chase Elliott | |
NAPA Auto Parts | 136.971 | 26.283 | –0.269 |
| 18 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | |
Jimmy John’s | 136.893 | 26.298 | –0.284 |
| 19 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | |
Alliance Truck Parts | 136.851 | 26.306 | –0.292 |
| 20 | 31 | Ryan Newman | |
Grainger | 136.576 | 26.359 | –0.345 |
| 21 | 6 | Trevor Bayne | |
Advocare Ford Fusion | 136.503 | 26.373 | –0.359 |
| 22 | 47 | AJ Allmendinger | |
Fry’s / Scott Products | 136.488 | 26.376 | –0.362 |
| 23 | 83 | Matt DiBenedetto | |
Schluter Systems Toyota | 136.395 | 26.394 | –0.380 |
| 24 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | |
Great Clips | 137.190 | 26.241 | –0.227 |
| 25 | 13 | Casey Mears | |
GEICO | 135.537 | 26.561 | –0.547 |
| 26 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | |
Axalta | 135.527 | 26.563 | –0.549 |
| 27 | 38 | Landon Cassill | |
Snap Fitness | 135.394 | 26.589 | –0.575 |
| 28 | 14 | Ty Dillon | |
Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats | 135.369 | 26.594 | –0.580 |
| 29 | 23 | David Ragan | |
Dr. Pepper | 135.206 | 26.626 | –0.612 |
| 30 | 44 | Brian Scott | |
Albertsons Co / White Tail | 134.917 | 26.683 | –0.669 |
| 31 | 7 | Regan Smith | |
APC Chevrolet | 134.514 | 26.763 | –0.749 |
| 32 | 34 | Chris Buescher | |
Dockside Logistics | 134.429 | 26.780 | –0.766 |
| 33 | 95 | Michael McDowell | |
Thrivent Financial | 134.068 | 26.852 | –0.838 |
| 34 | 98 | Cole Whitt | |
TBA | 133.670 | 26.932 | –0.918 |
| 35 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | |
5-Hour Energy | 133.072 | 27.053 | –1.039 |
| 36 | 10 | Danica Patrick | |
Nature’s Bakery | 132.895 | 27.089 | –1.075 |
| 37 | 30 | Josh Wise | |
Curtis Key Plumbing | 132.797 | 27.109 | –1.095 |
| 38 | 46 | Michael Annett | |
Pilot Flying J | 132.768 | 27.115 | –1.101 |
| 39 | 32 | Joey Gase | |
Donate Life America | 132.543 | 27.161 | –1.147 |
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