Ryan Blaney’s pole run at Phoenix sets up major Chase opportunity
By Field Level Media Oct 17 (NASCAR Wire Service) AVONDALE, Ariz. Score one for the drivers in hot pursuit of Chase leader Kyle Larson. In qualifying for Sunday s 312-lap Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Ryan Blaney claimed the pole position with a lap at 137.143 mph (26.250 seconds). Blaney is one of five drivers closest to Larson in the Chase presented by Mobil 1 standings, and those five drivers earned the top five positions on the grid for Sunday s race, while Larson qualified a disappointing 22nd in Saturday s time trials. Blaney, who is going for his third straight Phoenix win, is fifth in the race for the NASCAR Cup Series title, 85 points behind Larson. His Team Penske teammate, Joey Logano, qualified second at 136.926 mph, 0.032 seconds off Blaney s pace. A four-time Phoenix winner, Logano is sixth in the Chase standings, 92 points in arrears. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota drivers Chase Briscoe (136.825 mph), Denny Ham