AVONDALE, Ariz. — Matt Kenseth had no idea his pole-winning run at Phoenix International Raceway could benefit his championship-contending teammate.
When he found out he had assisted Carl Edwards, Ken- seth pretended it was all part of the plan.
“That was my plan. I thought, ‘Man, if we can sit on the pole, that will really help him,’ ” Kenseth laughed.
Kenseth turned a lap at 137.101 mph Saturday to win his third pole of the season. It came in a late run, and separated title contenders Edwards and Tony Stewart on the grid.
Before Kenseth’s lap, the two were seventh and eighth on the qualifying list and in line to start side by side in today’s race. But Edwards would have been on the outside, and new pavement at Phoenix has prevented the second line from adequately developing.
So when Kenseth wedged his way to the top of the board, Stewart dropped to eighth and Edwards to ninth. It means Stewart will start on the outside of the fourth row, and Edwards will line up on the inside of row five.
“I planned that. I am that good,” Kenseth claimed.
But he actually downplayed the significance of the starting spots of the two championship contenders. Edwards takes a three-point lead over Stewart into the penultimate event of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
“The bottom is probably going to be an advantage to get started, but it is still 300 miles and I think at some point in the race every car is going to be in the top groove for a little bit,” Kenseth said.
Hornish wins truck race.
Sam Hornish Jr. raced to his first NASCAR victory, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took a big step toward the Nationwide Series season title when Elliott Sadler was taken out late at Phoenix International.
Hornish, a former IndyCar star, passed Stenhouse on a restart midway through the 200-mile race and stayed up front on several restarts to claim his first win in 141 career starts between the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series.
Stenhouse finished fifth after Sadler, the only driver with a chance to catch him, was knocked out with 25 laps left on a bump from behind by Jason Leffler.
Footnotes.
Del Worsham raced to the No. 1 qualifying spot in top fuel as rain shortened qualifying in the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona.
Matt Hagan topped the funny car field, and Mike Edwards (pro stock) and Andrew Hines (pro stock motorcycle) led their divisions.
• Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel tied Nigel Mansell’s season record of 14 poles on the final lap of qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the United Arab Emirates.
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP Kobalt Tools 500
Site: Avondale, Ariz.
TV: ESPN, 1 p.m.
Track: Phoenix International Raceway (oval, 1.0 miles)
Race distance: 312 miles, 312 laps
Driver standings
1. Carl Edwards 2,316
2. Tony Stewart 2,313
3. Kevin Harvick 2,283
4. Matt Kenseth 2,278
5. Brad Keselowski 2,267
6. Jimmie Johnson 2,261
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,237
8. Jeff Gordon 2,235
9. Kurt Busch 2,229
10. Denny Hamlin 2,217
11. Kyle Busch 2,216
12. Ryan Newman 2,213
NHRA Auto Club Finals
Site: Pomona, Calif.
TV: ESPN2, 5 p.m. (tape)
Track: Auto Club Raceway
FORMULA ONE Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Site: United Arab Emirates
TV: Speed, 6 a.m.
Track: Yas Marina Circuit (road course, 3.45 miles)
Race distance: 189.8 miles, 55 laps
