Truex
Martin Truex Jr. after scoring the pole at Phoenix. (Ivan Veldhuizen Photo)

Truex Snags Pole In Final Full-Time Start At Phoenix

In his final full-time NASCAR Cup Series race, Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Aboard his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota donning a throwback paint scheme to his first career Cup Series start from 2004, Truex scorched the field with a fastest speed of 134.741 mph. 

He outpaced Championship 4 driver Joey Logano by a mere 0.010 seconds.

 

“It’s very cool. Honestly, you always want to be known as the guy that can go fast in any track, in any situation,” Truex said. “Pressure is always pretty high for qualifying. You have to go out there and nail that perfect lap. You only get one shot at it these days. It is fun to go out there and beat everyone in anything. It feels good. It’s very cool, but the big prize is tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get that one.”

Logano was the top playoff driver in qualifying. While the Team Penske driver starts outside the front row, he’ll be without his car chief and will not have pit selection for the championship race due to his car failing inspection the first two times. It did pass inspection on the third try. 

“It’s all about beating the other ones and we did that, so that’s a good start,” Logano said. “I wish we were on the pole, but we were close enough to see it, so I think we’re in good shape. I don’t know where the other ones ended up, but I know we’re in front of them.”

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain qualified third ahead of Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson (fourth) and Chase Elliott (fifth). A pair of JGR teammates in Ty Gibbs (sixth) and Christopher Bell (seventh) followed suit. 

The next playoff driver, William Byron, qualified eighth. Harrison Burton (ninth) and Championship 4 contender Tyler Reddick completed the top 10.

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney was the lowest-qualified Championship 4 driver in 17th.