AVONDALE, Ariz. — Denny Hamlin will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag for Sunday afternoon's season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
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The veteran driver, one of four going for the Cup Series championship, won the pole with a lap of 26.914 seconds. This marks his fifth pole win of the season and the 48th of his career.
Fellow Championship 4 driver William Byron qualified second with a lap of 26.956 seconds. Kyle Larson qualified third with a lap of 26.979 seconds. Chase Briscoe, the fourth Championship 4 driver, qualified 12th with a lap of 27.133 seconds.
MORE: Cup Series finale starting lineup
Briscoe dealt with multiple issues during Friday's extended practice session, including a flat tire, which limited him to only 24 completed laps. His fellow contenders completed more than 60 laps each.
The other drivers in the top 10 of Saturday's qualifying session included Austin Cindric (27.017), Ryan Blaney (27.029), Carson Hocevar (27.039), Josh Berry (27.093), Alex Bowman (27.094), Chris Buescher (27.111), and Joey Logano (27.119).
With Hamlin winning the pole, he now has the opportunity to select the first pit stall for Sunday's season finale. The No. 1 stall is not as much of an advantage since NASCAR moved the timing line, but it still gives Hamlin the best path off pit road.
"Well, I think they had noticed that the No. 1 pit stall was such an advantage," Hamlin said on Championship 4 Media Day. "Guys have won races from essentially having that stall because of the gap that it does give you over the field.
"At all racetracks, over the last year or two, they started moving that timing line far enough out to where the advantage is now still there, you still want to be first, but it's just not as much as in the past."
The Cup Series finale will take place on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. NBC and Peacock will provide coverage as Hamlin, Briscoe, Larson, and Byron battle for the championship.
