Ryan Blaney wins pole at Phoenix Raceway while NASCAR postseason leader Kyle Larson to start 22nd
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Ryan Blaney took the pole at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, putting him in good position to make a move up the standings in NASCAR’s postseason.
Blaney — who is trying to win his third straight race in the desert and is currently fifth in the playoff standings — covered the mile tri-oval in 26.250 seconds, edging Team Penske teammate Joey Logano by 0.032 seconds. His No. 12 Ford was the only car to top 137 miles per hour for his lap.
“It’s big to start the race up towards the front and try to get some stage points and stuff like that,” Blaney said. “Good pit stall. It’s really, really important. Job No. 1 done today, so I’m proud of everybody for doing a good job and taking that first step and then a whole new challenge tomorrow.”
Kyle Larson qualified a disappointing 22nd, calling into question whether he can keep up his stellar run of races that has given him a commanding lead in NASCAR’s playoffs.
Larson goes into Sunday’s race 49 points ahead of second-place Denny Hamlin with four races remaining.
Chase Briscoe qualified third, Hamlin was fourth and Christopher Bell was fifth in cooler and cloudier conditions than expected. Briscoe has won the past two races in Las Vegas and Charlotte to vault to fourth in the Chase standings.
___
See AP’s full auto racing coverage here