Denny Hamlin win Busch Light Pole for NASCAR Shriners Childrens 500 at Phoenix Raceway

9 March 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

AVONDALE, AZ — Denny Hamlin picked up where he left of yesterday at Phoenix Raceway. The №11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was 2nd fastest in Friday’s 50 min practice session, but found that little bit more to win the pole for Sunday’s Shriners Childrens 500 NASCAR Cup Series race in the Valley of the Sun.

Denny Hamlin win Busch Light Pole for NASCAR Shriners Childrens 500 at Phoenix Raceway (Image Credit: Bob Francis/Gail Francis GFT Digital)

Results from Round 2 of qualifying for the Shriners Children’s 500 NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (Image Credit: NASCAR Digital)

In Round 1 of qualifying, Denny Hamlin pushed his Mavis Brakes Plus Toyota to the fastest lap of 27.022 at 133.225 mph, followed closely by the No.24 of William Byron in the RaptorTough.com Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a lap of 27.106 at 132.812 mph. But in Round 2 Byron fell off and it was Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs earning the outside pole with a lap of 27.226 at 132.227 mph in the №54 Monster Energy Toyota. Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones with a very strong P4, Byron P5, Tyler Reddick P6, and for the 2nd week in a row Noah Gragson shows speed qualifying P7. The remaining top 10 were Chase Briscoe in the Mahindra Tractors Ford P8, Glendale, AZ hometown hero Michael McDowell P9, and Cup series rookie Carson Hocevar P10.

Round 2 #NASCAR Cup qualifying about to start with Chase Elliott to be first off at Phoenix Raceway for the #ShrinersChildrens500 (Image Credit: Bob Francis, Gail Francis GFT Digital)

Denny Hamlin in the Phoenix Raceway Media Center for the Pole winner press conference after NASCAR Cup qualifying for the #ShrinersChildrens500 (Image Credit: Bob Francis, Gail Francis GFT Digital)

The NASCAR fans from Arizona will have two drivers from their home state to root for this weekend at Phoenix Raceway in the Shriners Children’s 500 (March 10 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

A total of 34 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona. Of the 34 Arizona drivers, only two drivers have won a NASCAR national series race — Alex Bowman (eight wins) and Michael McDowell (two wins). Most notably, McDowell won the 2021 DAYTONA 500.

Bowman has made 17 series starts at Phoenix collecting two top-10 finishes.

McDowell has made 26 series starts at Phoenix without a win, the second most starts at by an active driver without a win at Phoenix behind Brad Keselowski at 29. McDowell’s best finish at his home track is ninth in the race last November (2023).