AVONDALE, Ariz. — Mark Martin won his third pole of the season Friday, taking the top spot at Phoenix International Raceway.
Martin ran a lap at 133.814 mph in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to beat Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch for the top starting spot tonight. Before this season, Martin hadn’t won a pole since 2001.
Martin couldn’t have picked a better spot to try to end teammate Jimmie Johnson’s three-race win streak at PIR.
“When we beat Jimmie Johnson to win a race, I’m going to feel like I beat Superman,” Martin said.
Polesitters have won two of the last four races at PIR — Johnson last November and Jeff Gordon in April 2007.
The 50-year-old Martin won at PIR in 1993 out of the third position, and it is one of his favorite tracks. This will be his 25th race here, with nine top-five finishes and 15 top-10 finishes.
“I like this place a lot,” Martin said. “I’ve had a lot of great races here.”
But Martin didn’t expect to win another pole when he arrived in the desert this week.
“I know the others were surprising, but Christmas comes once a year,” Martin said. “This is really cool. It’s really cool. It really makes, it just goes to show me, I am an idiot. I am a complete and total idiot because I looked at this (No. 5 car) real long and hard before I decided I want to do it. I was just about dumb enough to have passed on this opportunity. It’s great. It’s awesome.”
Kyle Busch qualified second with a lap at 133.725 in a Toyota, and older brother Kurt was third in a Dodge with a lap at 133.700.
Allmendinger joins Petty.
AJ Allmendinger has a guaranteed ride with Richard Petty Motorsports next season.
Richard Petty Motorsports said Allmendinger will drive for the team in 2010 but does not have a car number or sponsor details finalized.
“I’m thrilled about this,” Allmendinger said. “Racers are no different than anyone else. We like to know we have a job. I’m very thankful to be where I am, and I expect we will keep running better and better each weekend.”
The agreement does not guarantee anything for this season, which Allmendinger has been piecing together with various sponsors.
Allmendinger’s original deal to race the No. 44 Dodge for RPM for the first eight events has twice been extended, and he’s now guaranteed a seat until September. The final 10 races are presently unfunded.
Kahne to honor contract.
Kasey Kahne said he doesn’t want to break his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the season.
“I made a commitment to race with (the team) through 2010, so I’ll do that for sure,” Kahne said.
Kahne’s name has popped up recently as a potential free agent, based somewhat on his frustration of not being more consistent in the No. 9 Dodge.
Footnotes.
Paul Tracy, teamming with driver Mario Moraes for KV Racing Technology, is returning to the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 for the first time since finishing second to Helio Castroneves in 2002.
• Ashley Force Hood (funny car), Morgan Lucas (fop fuel), Greg Anderson (pro stock) and Andrew Hines (pro stock motorcycle) were the top provisional qualifiers in the Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP
Subway Fresh Fit 500
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
TV: Fox, 6 p.m.
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (tri-oval, 1 mile, 11 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 9 degrees banking in turns 3-4).
Race distance: 312 miles, 312 laps.
Next race: Aaron’s 499, April 26, Talladega, Ala.
On the Net: nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Chinese Grand Prix
Site: Shanghai.
TV: Versus, 12:30 a.m. (Sunday)
Track: Shanghai International Circuit (road course, 3.387 miles, 16 turns).
Race distance: 189.568 miles, 56 laps.
Next race: Bahrain Grand Prix, April 26, Sakhir.
On the Net: formula1.com
