AVONDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Larson claimed his first pole of the season on Saturday at Phoenix Raceway and will lead the Green Flag Cup starting lineup on Sunday.
Larson, who was fastest in Friday practice, qualified at 130.237 mph. Its result came a day after NASCAR announced it had taken the hood louvers (vents in the hood) for further evaluation of the four Hendrick Motorsports cars after practice. NASCAR took the hood louvers off Justin Haley’s car ahead of qualifying on Saturday.
NASCAR said if there were to be any penalties for any of these cars, they would be announced next week. Hendrick had two of the top three cars in qualifying and all four will start in the top 20. Haley qualified 26th.
MORE: The Phoenix Cup starting lineup
Denny Hamlin joins Larson in the front row after a 129.931 mph lap. Larson’s teammate William Byron qualified third at 129.922 mph. Brad Keselowski qualified fourth at 129.762 mph. Christopher Bell completed the top five at 129.580 mph. Ross Chastain, who spoke about his team’s struggles in practice Friday, bounced back to qualify sixth at 129.394.
Josh Berry, replacing the injured Chase Elliott, qualified 17th at 129.889. He will be joined in ninth place by his teammate Alex Bowman (129.956).