KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Denver’s Furniture Row Racing is right where it wants to be heading into Sunday’s Chase for the Championship race at Kansas Speedway.
Driver Martin Truex Jr., who led a race-high 95 laps in the spring race at Kansas and sits third in the playoff point standings, produced the quickest most consistent laps in the final stint of Saturday’s second practice session.
“That’s the run you want. That’s what matters,” crew chief Cole Pearn said. “When you’re done on Saturday you go back and judge where you are, you look at where you are in compared to everybody else. It’s more judging. We had the best last run of anybody. That’s a good sign.”
After a short pause, Pearn added: “That makes you feel like you can go kick some tail tomorrow.”
The fifth of 10 Chase races begins at 12:15 p.m. MDT. A win guarantees advancement to the Elite Eight for the three-race stint beginning Nov. 1 at Martinsville, Va.
The 12-car playoff field will remain intact through next weekend’s race at Talladega, Ala.
Truex qualified seventh on Friday — despite learning afterward that a major setting on the car was incorrect — and was sixth quickest Saturday morning and 10th in the ensuing practice. Truex ran a session-most 27 laps in the last practice and became the dominant car.
“We had a good practice today, and really, it’s been a good weekend,” Truex said. ” We felt we should have qualified a little better (Friday) but we feel really good about where we’re at with the car right now.
“Typically, you want to end practice the best you’ve been all weekend, and that’s where we’re at. That’s always a great feeling going into the race. The guys have done a good job and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Pearn, who is from London, Ontario, attended Friday night’s Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between his beloved Blue Jays against the Kansas City Royals. Pearn came back to his downtown hotel disappointed, along with crew member Ryan Kelly, who is also from London, and Pearn’s father.
The Royals won 5-0. Pearn and company were not able to get to Saturday afternoon’s Game 2 at Kauffman Stadium. They had team meetings and sponsorship obligations — and Pearn undoubtedly needed to have a long phone conversation with Barney Visser, the Cherry Hills resident who will fly in for Sunday’s race.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or @mikechambers
