(By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service)
Posted: Sunday,February 27th, 2011
AVONDALE, Ariz.—The last time NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series came to Phoenix International Raceway, Carl Edwards won from the pole.
After Saturday’s Cup qualifying session at the 1-mile flat track, Edwards has a leg up on a second straight victory. With a lap at 137.279 mph, Edwards was the fastest of 26 drivers who broke the track record in time trials for Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Edwards won the Coors Light pole award for the eighth time in his career, edging Kurt Busch (137.112 mph) for the top starting spot. It was Busch who had established a track-record of 136.539 mph during Friday’s first Cup practice session, but that mark was destined to fall early in Saturday’s qualifying.
AVONDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 26: Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Subway Ford, speaks with crew chief Bob Osborne after qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on February 26, 2011 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Kasey Kahne (137.096 mph) will start third in the second Cup race of the season. Kyle Busch (136.981 mph), who earlier in the day won the pole for Saturday’s Nationwide Series race, will line up beside Kahne in the fourth starting spot.
Saturday’s session used NASCAR’s new qualifying format for the first time, with the qualifying order based on slowest-to-fastest speeds from Friday’s practice sessions. The final three locked-in cars to qualify Saturday had outrun Edwards’ No. 99 Ford in practice.
“It was a little stressful,” Edwards said. “I had to watch Kyle (Busch) go, and I know how fast he was, and then Kurt (who was the last of the locked-in cars to qualify) was screaming fast (Friday), so he had me stressed out a little bit.
“It’s fortunate we were able to sit on the pole. I love this racetrack. I know all the drivers love this racetrack. It’s really fun to drive on, and starting up front is, hopefully, going to make the race a lot simpler.”
SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500 LINEUP>>>
Kurt Busch called narrowly missing the pole “a bummer,” but the driver of the No. 22 Penske Dodge took consolation from his front-row starting position.
“We’re happy with our run,” Busch said. “I gave up a few thousandths of a second when the car wiggled a bit. Carl ran a great lap. This is a track-position race, and to start up front is a nice hurdle to get over.”
Phoenix hasn’t been a comfortable track for Kahne, to say the least. In 13 starts, he has but one top five and three top 10s.
“We put a lot of work into it, and the first lap I made yesterday, I knew I had a car,” Kahne said.
Regan Smith, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski and Greg Biffle will start from positions five through 10, respectively.
Brian Keselowski failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
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