Phoenix NASCAR: Denny Hamlin edges Brad Keselowski for pole

With Chase competitors filling the top five positions, Hamlin claimed his third pole of the year with a 25.332-second lap in his Joe Gibbs Toyota at the same track where he took his first Cup pole back in 2005.

Keselowski left it late to try to topple Hamlin, crossing the start/finish line just as the chequered flag came out in the pole session. But the 2012 champion could not improve his time and ended up 0.006s adrift.

Five-time Phoenix winner Kevin Harvick completed the top three as he bids for a third victory in successive races at the one-mile tri-oval.

Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth could not be separated after the final 10 minute session but Team Penske's Logano will line up fourth. Chase leader Logano had finished the first segment of qualifying with the fastest time, his 25.327s then a new track record.

Kyle Busch will start as the top non-Chase driver in sixth ahead of Jeff Gordon.

Kyle Larson and Brian Vickers edged Kurt Busch into 10th while Paul Menard and Casey Mears rounded out the top 12. Mears had needed a push from his Germain Racing mechanics to leave the pits but failed to make an impression with little time remaining when he made it on track.

The other two Chase contenders Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman were both eliminated in the first segment of qualifying with Edwards just failing to improve his time in a last ditch effort to make the cut. He will start in 13th for Roush Fenway, Richard Childress Racing's Newman will start Sunday's race from 20th.

Outside the Chase challengers, Hendrick Motorsports' Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr will share row eight.

Another big name starting down the order is Tony Stewart, who was fighting a very unstable car for much of the first session. Despite much effort he could only wrestle his Chevrolet to 29th.