Yahoo Finance Brad Keselowski to start first at Phoenix
Brad Keselowski is starting first at Phoenix for the second time.
NASCAR said Wednesday that Keselowski would have the pole for Sunday's race (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox) after his second-place finish at Las Vegas. The starting lineup was determined by NASCAR's qualifying formula in lieu of actual practice and qualifying for the race.
The formula consists of a driver’s finishing position from the previous race (25 percent), the car’s finishing position from the previous event (25 percent), where the team is in owner points (35 percent) and the driver’s fastest lap from the previous race (15 percent). The driver with the lowest combined number starts first.
[Phoenix race betting preview]
Las Vegas winner Kyle Larson will start alongside Keselowski on the front row. The Phoenix race a year ago was Larson's last race of the 2020 season. He was fired from his ride at Chip Ganassi Racing during NASCAR's coronavirus shutdown because he said a racial slur during a virtual race in April.
Three Joe Gibbs Racing cars round out the top five. Denny Hamlin will start third and he's followed by teammates Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr.
Instacart 500 starting lineup
1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kyle Larson
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Christopher Bell
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Chase Elliott
7. Kyle Busch
8. Ryan Blaney
9. Joey Logano
10. William Byron
11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
12. Kurt Busch
13. Austin Dillon
14. Erik Jones
15. Ryan Preece
16. Michael McDowell
17. Chris Buescher
18. Kevin Harvick
19. Ryan Newman
20. Matt DiBenedetto
21. Alex Bowman
22. Ross Chastain
23. Tyler Reddick
24. Cole Custer
25. Bubba Wallace
26. Chase Briscoe
27. Daniel Suarez
28. Anthony Alfredo
29. Justin Haley
30. BJ McLeod
31. Cody Ware
32. Aric Almirola
33. Corey LaJoie
34. JJ Yeley
35. Quin Houff
36. Josh Bilicki
37. Timmy Hill
38. James Davison
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