Blaney on pole as Larson starts 22nd at Phoenix

Ryan Blaney will start from pole and Kyle Larson from 22nd as the NASCAR Cup Series Chase heads to Phoenix, setting up a test for the leader’s 49-point advantage with four races remaining. The Freeway Insurance 500 is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, at Phoenix Raceway; the reports provide qualifying results and pre-race standings, not the race outcome. Blaney recorded a qualifying lap at 137.143 mph to take the top spot. Joey Logano qualified second, followed by Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell, putting five of the six closest challengers to Larson in the first five grid positions. Larson, seeking his third championship, qualified 22nd after a day in which he was dissatisfied with his car’s balance. Before the race, Hamlin was second in the standings, 49 points behind Larson. Bell was 51 points back, Briscoe 65, Blaney 85 and Logano 92. Four races remain in the Chase, making Phoenix the first of the final four opportunities for those drivers to gain ground. Starting near the front may help challengers pursue stage points and track position, but qualifying alone does not determine the standings. Larson has built his lead through a strong postseason. He has two...