Joey Logano hustled his No. 20 Toyota around the 10-turn Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., faster than anyone else Friday to win the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing turned a lap of 93.256 mph on the 1.99-mile track nestled in the hillsides of Sonoma’s wine country.
Jamie McMurray was second at 93.223 mph and will start alongside Logano on the first row in the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Los Angeles Times
“This is the last place that I’d figured we’d get a pole,” Logano, 21, said. ” “... I’ve never had a top-10 start here, and I’ve never finished that well here, either.”
Logano, who has finished 33rd and 19th in his only other Cup races at Infineon, had the 13th-fastest speed (92.095) in Friday’s practice and felt his car could use more forward drive and traction in the corners. Even after the adjustments, Logano didn’t believe his qualifying lap was anything special until his speed was posted.
“I said, ‘Geez, should have asked for that a long time ago,’ ” Logano said. “I was surprised. I felt like my lap was OK, didn’t feel like it was stellar by any means.
“I didn’t think it was going to hold up. I don’t think any of my guys thought it was going to hold up.” San Jose Mercury News
Paul Menard qualified third, followed by Denny Hamlin, who won last Sunday’s race at Michigan, and Ryan Newman.
Kasey Kahne took the sixth spot, followed by Richard Petty Motorsports teammates A.J. Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose.
Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers completed the top-10.
Kurt Busch, who had won the last three poles in the series, qualified 11th. Busch led the way in the first and only practice of the day. Teams will practice again on Saturday.
Jimmie Johnson, who claimed his first career road course win at Sonoma one year ago, will start 12th, while his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, a five-time race winner here, will roll off in 13th. MiamiHerald.com
For Logano, the qualifying run was a much-needed boost for a struggling driver. After closing last season strong, he was picked by many to make the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship this year.
But he’s had a rocky start to the year, and has just two top-10 finishes through the first 15 races. He’s ranked 23rd in points.
Starting first Sunday will give him his first lap led at Sonoma, and in two previous starts, he’s not finished higher than 19th.
“We’ve been going through a bit of a drought, so this is going to help us a lot,” Logano said. “I really think the big thing today is self-confidence in me and the team and giving us momentum.
“Knowing you can do it now and you can drive around a road course, I think that is going to help us get our car setup better and in the race help us be as smart and methodical as you can.” The Associated Press
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