Sammy Smith will start on pole for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
Smith, who’s in his final race aboard the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, topped the charts with a best time of 27.153 seconds. He edged Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill by 0.002 seconds.
Smith is headed to JR Motorsports beginning next season.
Championship 4 driver John Hunter Nemecheck was the fastest of the final four with a third-place qualifying effort.
Myatt Snider qualified fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing, with Sheldon Creed rounding out the top five.
Chandler Smith slots in sixth, while Championship 4 competitor Cole Custer qualifying seventh. Fellow title competitor Justin Allgaier starts eighth.
Riley Herbst and Connor Mosack completed the top 10.
Sam Mayer was the slowest of the championship competitors in 16th.