Photo Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images
For the third straight week a Busch will lead the field to green on Sunday Afternoon.
After watching older brother Kurt win poles at Atlanta and Las Vegas, Kyle Busch would score his 18th career Sprint Cup Series pole on Friday Evening at Phoenix International Raceway with a lap of (26.014 Seconds,138.387 MPH).
Busch will lead a trio of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers to the green on Sunday as Carl Edwards will start second and Denny Hamlin will start third.
Kurt Busch will start fourth followed by Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounding out the top ten qualifiers.
Friday’s qualifying session was not the most ideal for Hendrick Motorsports as all four of its drivers had struggles throughout the evening, most notably Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson. Kahne’s qualifying effort was cut short after blowing an engine in his No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet following a lap that was third best on the speed chart at the time. Johnson made it all the way to the final round of qualifying posting the fourth best speed before slamming into the wall forcing him and the No. 48 team to go to a backup car for Sunday’s race. As a result, both drivers will start at the rear of the field on Sunday.
Defending race winner and seven time Phoenix winner Kevin Harvick will start 18th.
