AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday afternoon.
Driving the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, Logano turned a lap of 26.561 seconds at 135.537 mph to take the top spot at the one-mile race track.
It was his 34th career pole and his first of the season. It was also his third pole at Phoenix.
“Today the car was really good. I don’t know if I can take much credit. The car drove really well and I just kind of took what it gave me,” Logano said. “The car, I thought was good in race trim – a lot of sliding around from everybody.
“It’s funny because it doesn’t drive nice, but the pace was there, which was encouraging for tomorrow because it still feels like there are some areas to get better, and then Paul and Joe and the guys did a good job at dialing it in and getting the balance really good for qualifying to where I didn’t have to do anything crazy to make speed. It just happened, so I’m really proud of that.
Logano was .117 seconds quicker than reigning series champion Kyle Larson, who will start his Hendrick Motorsports Cheverolet from the second position.
Logano’s Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney qualified third and fifth, respectively. Daniel Suarez starts fourth in a Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.
Tyler Reddick, who won the first three races of the three seasons for 23XI Racing, was the fastest qualifying Toyota driver in eighth.
