Sawalich Wins Phoenix Xfinity Pole at Phoenix

AVONDALE, AZ – RIS -  William Sawalich won the pole Saturday (Nov. 9) for the Xfinity Series Championship Race with a lap at 134.168 mph. It is his first career pole in only his third career NXS start. He is driving a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.  Sawalich’s lap was .148 seconds faster than teammate Sheldon Creed. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst will start third, followed by Chandler Smith and the best of the Championship 4 contenders, Austin Hill.

Jesse Love will start sixth, followed by reigning NXS champion Cole Custer. Sam Mayer was eighth, AJ Allmendinger was ninth, while Parker Retzlaff rounded out the top 10.

Hill in fifth and Custer in seventh were the best of the Championship 4 contenders. Allmendinger, while starting inside the top 10, was unhappy with his car, complaining of a lack of grip. That potentially was because of Brenden Poole’s transmission failure early on Saturday. Justin Allgaier got in the fluid, locked up his brakes and slid into the wall. He was then hit from behind by teammate Brandon Jones. Aric Almirola, whose No. 20 is in the owners’ Championship 4, spun into Jones. Parker Kligerman, who was ahead of Allgaier on the track, was also involved.

The Xfinity Series Championship Race is scheduled to go green at 7:47 p.m. ET Saturday night. Coverage will start at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown Live on The CW. 

Qualifying: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship, Phoenix Raceway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, Lap #, # Laps, -Fastest, -Next
1) William Sawalich(i), No. 19 Starkey/Soundgear Toyota, 26.832, 134.168, 1, 1, 0.000, 0.000
2) Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota, 26.980, 133.432, 1, 1, 0.148, 0.148
3) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 27.070, 132.989, 1, 1, 0.238, 0.090
4) Chandler Smith, No. 81 QuickTie Toyota, 27.085, 132.915, 1, 1, 0.253, 0.015
5) Austin Hill (P), No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 27.165, 132.523, 1, 1, 0.333, 0.080
6) Jesse Love #, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 27.202, 132.343, 1, 1, 0.370, 0.037
7) Cole Custer (P), No. 00 Andy's Frozen Custard/Haas Automation Ford, 27.217, 132.270, 1, 1, 0.385, 0.015
8) Sam Mayer, No. 1 10X Health Chevrolet, 27.236, 132.178, 1, 1, 0.404, 0.019
9) AJ Allmendinger (P), No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet, 27.244, 132.139, 1, 1, 0.412, 0.008
10) Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 FUNKAWAY/REALTREE Chevrolet, 27.264, 132.042, 1, 1, 0.432, 0.020
11) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 38 ReMA Ford, 27.300, 131.868, 1, 1, 0.468, 0.036
12) Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Dead On Tools Chevrolet, 27.337, 131.690, 1, 1, 0.505, 0.037
13) Daniel Dye(i), No. 10 Champion Container Chevrolet, 27.345, 131.651, 1, 1, 0.513, 0.008
14) Stefan Parsons(i), No. 45 Prime Bites Mini Muffins Chevrolet, 27.386, 131.454, 1, 1, 0.554, 0.041
15) Sammy Smith, No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 27.403, 131.372, 1, 1, 0.571, 0.017
16) Jeb Burton, No. 27 AO Smith Chevrolet, 27.413, 131.325, 1, 1, 0.581, 0.010
17) Shane Van Gisbergen #, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet, 27.464, 131.081, 1, 1, 0.632, 0.051
18) Jeffrey Earnhardt(i), No. 26 Synergy Modular Toyota, 27.486, 130.976, 1, 1, 0.654, 0.022
19) Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Chevrolet, 27.490, 130.957, 1, 1, 0.658, 0.004
20) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Tablo Chevrolet, 27.526, 130.785, 1, 1, 0.694, 0.036
21) Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Jarrett 25 Years Chevrolet, 27.530, 130.766, 1, 1, 0.698, 0.004
22) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Alliance Driveway Solutions Chevrolet, 27.553, 130.657, 1, 1, 0.721, 0.023
23) Ryan Sieg, No. 28 Sci Aps Ford, 27.570, 130.577, 1, 1, 0.738, 0.017
24) Dylan Lupton, No. 15 Lupton Excavation Ford, 27.571, 130.572, 1, 1, 0.739, 0.001
25) Blaine Perkins, No. 29 Ashurst American Honey Ford, 27.590, 130.482, 1, 1, 0.758, 0.019
26) Leland Honeyman #, No. 42 Distributor Wire & Cable Co Chevrolet, 27.616, 130.359, 1, 1, 0.784, 0.026
27) Dawson Cram(i), No. 92 Trade With The Pros Chevrolet, 27.674, 130.086, 1, 1, 0.842, 0.058
28) Brennan Poole, No. 44 Macc Door Systems Chevrolet, 27.742, 129.767, 1, 1, 0.910, 0.068
29) Kyle Sieg, No. 39 Tap and Sons Ford, 27.792, 129.534, 1, 1, 0.960, 0.050
30) Patrick Emerling, No. 07 MMI Tank Chevrolet, 27.810, 129.450, 1, 1, 0.978, 0.018
31) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 27.857, 129.231, 1, 1, 1.025, 0.047
32) Josh Bilicki, No. 91 Rita's Ice Chevrolet, 27.943, 128.834, 1, 1, 1.111, 0.086
33) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Klearvue Cabinetry Chevrolet, 27.994, 128.599, 1, 1, 1.162, 0.051
34) Joey Gase (OP), No. 35 Donate Life AZ Chevrolet, 28.321, 127.114, 1, 1, 1.489, 0.327
35) Greg Van Alst (OP), No. 14 Prescott Tire Pros Chevrolet, 28.380, 126.850, 1, 1, 1.548, 0.059
36) Garrett Smithley (OP), No. 53 Dozer Winch Parts.com Ford, 28.535, 126.161, 1, 1, 1.703, 0.155
37) Justin Allgaier (OP) (P), No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, 30.261, 118.965, 1, 1, 3.429, 1.726
38) Aric Almirola (OP)(P), No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota, 34.983, 102.907, 1, 1, 8.151, 4.722
(OP) Top 30 in Owner Points, (i)Ineligible for driver points, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Starting Line Up: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship, Phoenix Raceway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) William Sawalich(i), No. 19 Starkey/Soundgear Toyota, 26.832, 134.168
2) Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota, 26.980, 133.432
3) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 27.070, 132.989
4) Chandler Smith, No. 81 QuickTie Toyota, 27.085, 132.915
5) Austin Hill (P), No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 27.165, 132.523
6) Jesse Love #, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 27.202, 132.343
7) Cole Custer (P), No. 00 Andy's Frozen Custard/Haas Automation Ford, 27.217, 132.270
8) Sam Mayer, No. 1 10X Health Chevrolet, 27.236, 132.178
9) AJ Allmendinger (P), No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet, 27.244, 132.139
10) Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 FUNKAWAY/REALTREE Chevrolet, 27.264, 132.042
11) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 38 ReMA Ford, 27.300, 131.868
12) Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Dead On Tools Chevrolet, 27.337, 131.690
13) Daniel Dye(i), No. 10 Champion Container Chevrolet, 27.345, 131.651
14) Stefan Parsons(i), No. 45 Prime Bites Mini Muffins Chevrolet, 27.386, 131.454
15) Sammy Smith, No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 27.403, 131.372
16) Jeb Burton, No. 27 AO Smith Chevrolet, 27.413, 131.325
17) Shane Van Gisbergen #, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet, 27.464, 131.081
18) Jeffrey Earnhardt(i), No. 26 Synergy Modular Toyota, 27.486, 130.976
19) Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Chevrolet, 27.490, 130.957
20) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Tablo Chevrolet, 27.526, 130.785
21) Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Jarrett 25 Years Chevrolet, 27.530, 130.766
22) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Alliance Driveway Solutions Chevrolet, 27.553, 130.657
23) Ryan Sieg, No. 28 Sci Aps Ford, 27.570, 130.577
24) Dylan Lupton, No. 15 Lupton Excavation Ford, 27.571, 130.572
25) Blaine Perkins, No. 29 Ashurst American Honey Ford, 27.590, 130.482
26) Leland Honeyman #, No. 42 Distributor Wire & Cable Co Chevrolet, 27.616, 130.359
27) Dawson Cram(i), No. 92 Trade With The Pros Chevrolet, 27.674, 130.086
28) Brennan Poole, No. 44 Macc Door Systems Chevrolet, 27.742, 129.767
29) Kyle Sieg, No. 39 Tap and Sons Ford, 27.792, 129.534
30) Patrick Emerling, No. 07 MMI Tank Chevrolet, 27.810, 129.450
31) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 27.857, 129.231
32) Josh Bilicki, No. 91 Rita's Ice Chevrolet, 27.943, 128.834
33) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Klearvue Cabinetry Chevrolet, 27.994, 128.599
34) Joey Gase, No. 35 Donate Life AZ Chevrolet, Owner Points,
35) Greg Van Alst, No. 14 Prescott Tire Pros Chevrolet, Owner Points,
36) Garrett Smithley, No. 53 Dozer Winch Parts.com Ford, Owner Points,
37) Justin Allgaier (P), No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, Owner Points,
38) Aric Almirola (P), No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota, Owner Points,
(OP) Top 30 in Owner Points, (i)Ineligible for driver points, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Track Qualifying Record: Kyle Busch, 11/14/15, 25.992 sec, 138.504 mph

Track Race Record: Elliott Sadler, 03/03/12, 01:43:10, 116.317 mph