A.J. Allmendinger will start on the pole for the first time in his Sprint Cup Series career after winning Friday’s qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Allmendinger, a former open-wheel competitor, turned in a blazing lap of 134.675 m.p.h. for his first pole in 87 starts. He also put the Richard Petty- owned No.43 car on the pole for the first time since John Andretti did it for Petty in November 1999 at Phoenix. MiamiHerald.com
The top of the field definitely was unusual, as Scott Speed put his No. 82 Red Bull Racing Toyota Camry on the outside of Row 1, by busting off a fast lap of 134.373 mph. That means the front row will be two former road racers from California.
“The Valvoline Ford has been good all day,” said Allmendinger. “Mike Shiplett (crew chief) and everybody’s done a great job. Qualifying has been our hindrance all year and we knew we needed to step it up. ... That’s all I had.”
Starting on the inside of the second row Saturday night will be the No. 77 Penske Racing Dodge of Sam Hornish, with Marcos Ambrose alongside in the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Toyota.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was fifth fastest at 133.640 mph. FOXNews
“I knew we were going to be quick,” Allmendinger said. “We were quick in practice, but you go out there and you just don’t know how much grip is going to be on the race track. I knew I was going to have to get everything out of it to have a chance of beating [Speed].
“It’s a small victory for us to get our first career pole together, and to start up front is really cool, but the big picture is [Saturday], and that’s what we’re focused on.”
Speed was the 13th driver to make a qualifying attempt. Allmendinger went out 30th and had the benefit of s slightly cooler track.
“As soon as Turn 1 started getting shaded—that’s when Scott ran his lap, when the shade had kind of come over—I knew the grip was going to be there, but it was a little surprising how gripped-up the race track got,” Allmendinger said. NASCAR.com
Speed, coming off consecutive finishes of 31st and 33rd, arrived in the desert with a clean-shaven head and a car he has nicknamed “Rattlesnake.”
“I shaved all the black hair because that seemed to be bad luck,” Speed said. “I also named our car, it’s mean, sounds fast and we’re in Phoenix. I’m not sure which one turned the luck around, but we’ll keep doing all of them.” The Associated Press
Joey Logano took the sixth starting spot, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards, who’s making his 200th career Cup start, and Jeff Gordon.
Four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson qualified 16th. Johnson has won four of the last five races at Phoenix. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin won here one year ago. Martin was 23rd in qualifying.
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix - Race Line-Up
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