Justin Edmonds
Mark Martin bested Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson to win the pole for Sunday's NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway.
Mark Martin will lead the field to the green flag for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Speedway.
The 55-year-old driver for Michael Waltrip Racing sped to his 56th Sprint Cup Series pole with a lap of 138.074 mph. Martin's time bested the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson, who qualified second and third, respectively.
Martin will be attempting to snap a 106-race winless streak which dates back to the 2009 season.
Rounding out the top five are Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon with Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman in positions six- through 10 on the grid.
Hamlin won this race last year after starting 13th.
A week after a historic Daytona 500 Danica Patrick had a sub-par effort in qualifying and will start 41st
"It just wasn't great," Patrick said. "We kind of had a similar issue in practice as well. Just couldn't get the back end to settle down."
Kurt Busch hit the wall exiting Turn 4 during his lap and sustained significant damage to the right side of his Chevrolet. He had posted the 25th-fastest time, but his Furniture Row Motorsports team will go to a backup car for Sunday's race and Busch will have to start at the rear of the field.
All 43 cars entered qualified for the race.
Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix:
1) Mark Martin
2) Kasey Kahne
3) Jimmie Johnson
4) Kyle Busch
5) Jeff Gordon
6) Tony Stewart
7) Kevin Harvick
8) Denny Hamlin
9) Matt Kenseth
10) Ryan Newman
11) Brad Keselowski
12) Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
13) Clint Bowyer
14) Martin Truex Jr.
15) Carl Edwards
16) Paul Menard
17) Greg Biffle
18) Aric Almirola
19) Jamie McMurray
20) Jeff Burton
21) Dale Earnhardt Jr.
22) Marcos Ambrose
23) AJ Allmendinger
24) David Ragan
25) Kurt Busch
26) Dave Blaney
27) J.J. Yeley
28) Scott Speed
29) Juan Pablo Montoya
30) Travis Kvapil
31) David Gilliland
32) Joey Logano
33) Bobby Labonte
34) David Reutimann
35) Mike Bliss
36) Josh Wise
37) David Stremme
38) Landon Cassill
39) Scott Riggs
40) Danica Patrick
41) Joe Nemechek
42) Ken Schrader
43) Casey Mears


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