Joey Logano Wins Cup Championship Pole at Phoenix

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AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – Joey Logano was the first driver to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Championship Four and he will start from the pole fo4r Sunday’s final race of 2022 on Sunday.  With a hot lap of 134.389 mph in the second round of Saturday’s qualifying session, the 2018 Cup champion won the pole for Sunday’s Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway. The pole marks Logano’s 26th in the Cup Series and fourth of 2022. Logano will not only lead the field to green, but he will also have the first pick for pit stalls, a key aspect for Sunday’s 312-lap race.

Ryan Blaney will join his Team Penske teammate on the front row. Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson will roll off third and fourth, respectively. Larson, the 2021 Cup champion, is still eligible for the 2022 owners’ championship on Sunday. Chase Elliott qualified fifth with a 133.437 mph lap around the one-mile Arizona track.

Fellow Championship 4 competitors didn’t fare so well as Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain struggled on their qualifying runs Saturday afternoon and couldn’t find their way into the pole round. Instead, both will have a lot of work to do to navigate their way to the front as Bell will start 17th while Chastain starts well outside the top 20 in 25th. Harrison Burton, Kevin Harvick, William Byron, Cole Custer and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top 10 in qualifying.

Qualifying Results: 35th Annual NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race - Phoenix Raceway

Round 1A
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Ty Gibbs(i), No. 23 Monster Energy Toyota, 26.746, 134.600, 0.000, 0.000
2) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Busch Light Ford, 26.769, 134.484, 0.023, 0.023
3) Harrison Burton #, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, 26.777, 134.444, 0.031, 0.008
4) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 26.808, 134.288, 0.062, 0.031
5) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, 26.828, 134.188, 0.082, 0.020
6) Austin Cindric #, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford, 26.874, 133.958, 0.128, 0.046
7) AJ Allmendinger(i), No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet, 26.880, 133.929, 0.134, 0.006
8) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Kohler Generators Ford, 26.903, 133.814, 0.157, 0.023
9) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford, 26.943, 133.615, 0.197, 0.040
10) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, 27.009, 133.289, 0.263, 0.066
11) Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M's Thank You Fans! Toyota, 27.015, 133.259, 0.269, 0.006
12) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, 27.025, 133.210, 0.279, 0.010
13) Ross Chastain (P), No. 1 Worldwide Express/Advent Health Chevrolet, 27.064, 133.018, 0.318, 0.039
14) Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, 27.071, 132.984, 0.325, 0.007
15) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance/CommScope Chevrolet, 27.114, 132.773, 0.368, 0.043
16) Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet, 27.226, 132.227, 0.480, 0.112
17) Cody Ware, No. 51 Nurtec ODT (Rimegepant) Ford, 27.718, 129.880, 0.972, 0.492
18) Garrett Smithley(i), No. 15 Jacob Companies Ford, 27.787, 129.557, 1.041, 0.069

Round 1B
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, 26.617, 135.252, 0.000, 0.000
2) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 26.648, 135.095, 0.031, 0.031
3) Cole Custer, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford, 26.786, 134.399, 0.169, 0.138
4) William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet, 26.793, 134.363, 0.176, 0.007
5) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 26.821, 134.223, 0.204, 0.028
6) Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet, 26.831, 134.173, 0.214, 0.010
7) Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 26.846, 134.098, 0.229, 0.015
8) Aric Almirola, No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 26.873, 133.963, 0.256, 0.027
9) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet, 26.877, 133.944, 0.260, 0.004
10) Christopher Bell (P), No. 20 DeWalt Toyota, 26.881, 133.924, 0.264, 0.004
11) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford, 26.932, 133.670, 0.315, 0.051
12) Bubba Wallace, No. 45 McDonald's Toyota, 27.021, 133.230, 0.404, 0.089
13) Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Schluter Systems Chevrolet, 27.085, 132.915, 0.468, 0.064
14) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Fry's/Nature Valley Chevrolet, 27.143, 132.631, 0.526, 0.058
15) Todd Gilliland #, No. 38 Boot Barn Ford, 27.256, 132.081, 0.639, 0.113
16) Ty Dillon, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet, 27.292, 131.907, 0.675, 0.036
17) BJ McLeod(i), No. 78 Pala Casino Ford, 27.561, 130.619, 0.944, 0.269
18) Landon Cassill(i), No. 77 Mutoh/General Formulations Chevrolet, 28.414, 126.698, 1.797, 0.853

Qualifying Round 2
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 26.788, 134.389, 0.000, 0.000
2) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, 26.791, 134.373, 0.003, 0.003
3) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, 26.825, 134.203, 0.037, 0.034
4) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 26.897, 133.844, 0.109, 0.072
5) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 26.979, 133.437, 0.191, 0.082
6) Harrison Burton #, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, 27.011, 133.279, 0.223, 0.032
7) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Busch Light Ford, 27.056, 133.057, 0.268, 0.045
8) William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet, 27.090, 132.890, 0.302, 0.034
9) Cole Custer, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford, 27.125, 132.719, 0.337, 0.035
10) Ty Gibbs(i), No. 23 Monster Energy Toyota, 27.175, 132.475, 0.387, 0.050
Starting Line Up: 35th Annual NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race - Phoenix Raceway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 26.788, 134.389
2) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, 26.791, 134.373
3) Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, 26.825, 134.203
4) Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 26.897, 133.844
5) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 26.979, 133.437
6) Harrison Burton #, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, 27.011, 133.279
7) Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Busch Light Ford, 27.056, 133.057
8) William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet, 27.090, 132.890
9) Cole Custer, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford, 27.125, 132.719
10) Ty Gibbs(i), No. 23 Monster Energy Toyota, 27.175, 132.475
11) Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet, 26.831, 134.173
12) Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 26.846, 134.098
13) Aric Almirola, No. 10 Smithfield Ford, 26.873, 133.963
14) Austin Cindric #, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford, 26.874, 133.958
15) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet, 26.877, 133.944
16) AJ Allmendinger(i), No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet, 26.880, 133.929
17) Christopher Bell (P), No. 20 DeWalt Toyota, 26.881, 133.924
18) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Kohler Generators Ford, 26.903, 133.814
19) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford, 26.932, 133.670
20) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford, 26.943, 133.615
21) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, 27.009, 133.289
22) Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M's Thank You Fans! Toyota, 27.015, 133.259
23) Bubba Wallace, No. 45 McDonald's Toyota, 27.021, 133.230
24) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, 27.025, 133.210
25) Ross Chastain (P), No. 1 Worldwide Express/Advent Health Chevrolet, 27.064, 133.018
26) Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, 27.071, 132.984
27) Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Schluter Systems Chevrolet, 27.085, 132.915
28) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance/CommScope Chevrolet, 27.114, 132.773
29) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Fry's/Nature Valley Chevrolet, 27.143, 132.631
30) Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet, 27.226, 132.227
31) Todd Gilliland #, No. 38 Boot Barn Ford, 27.256, 132.081
32) Ty Dillon, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet, 27.292, 131.907
33) BJ McLeod(i), No. 78 Pala Casino Ford, 27.561, 130.619
34) Cody Ware, No. 51 Nurtec ODT (Rimegepant) Ford, 27.718, 129.880
35) Garrett Smithley(i), No. 15 Jacob Companies Ford, 27.787, 129.557
36) Landon Cassill(i), No. 77 Mutoh/General Formulations Chevrolet, 28.414, 126.698
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Track Qualifying Record: Jimmie Johnson, 11/15/15, 25.147 sec, 143.158 mph

Track Race Record: Tony Stewart, 11/07/99, 2:38:28 sec, 118.132 mph