Martin claims Phoenix Cup pole

The 50-year-old veteran set a fastest lap of 26.903 seconds at an average speed of 133.814 mph, to claim his first ever pole at the one-mile oval, and the forty-fourth of his career. That was despite the track cooling off in the shade for some of the drivers who ran later in the evening, who were unable to beat the Hendrick driver.

"We thought that the track was going to pick up a lot (of speed) and I don't think it did," Martin said. "That kind of saved the day. We're proud of the lap. We didn't expect to sit on the pole by any means but we'll certainly take it.

"This is the happiest I've been with my race car in race trim all year. Can't wait for the race tomorrow night."

Brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch came close to Martin's benchmark but ended up second and third respectively, while points' leader Jeff Gordon will start tomorrow night from the outside of the second row ahead of Brian Vickers who rounded out the top-five.

Paul Menard was fastest from the Ford camp with the seventh quickest lap in his Yates Racing Fusion.

Regan Smith emerged as the best of the non-guaranteed drivers to make the field with an impressive ninth place ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who was a disappointing tenth fastest after topping both the day's practice sessions.

Also struggling in qualifying after a strong run in practice was Juan Pablo Montoya, who had been second to Johnson in the final session, but complained of a loose car driving into the corners on his qualifying run, ending up twentieth.

Among the rookies Scott Speed was the fastest while making his second visit to Phoenix in a Cup car after racing at the venue last year already. He qualified eighteenth while Joey Logano was thirty-first.

Both John Andretti and Bobby Labonte got in the field through their owner points standing, while Todd Bodine, Jeremy Mayfield, Dexter Bean, Brandon Ash, and Trevor Boys all failed to make the field.

Pos  Driver              Make        Speed     Time
 1.  Mark Martin         Chevrolet   133.814   26.903
 2.  Kyle Busch          Toyota      133.725   26.921 + 0.018
 3.  Kurt Busch          Dodge       133.700   26.926 + 0.023
 4.  Jeff Gordon         Chevrolet   133.690   26.928 + 0.025
 5.  Brian Vickers       Toyota      133.551   26.956 + 0.053
 6.  Tony Stewart        Chevrolet   133.487   26.969 + 0.066
 7.  Paul Menard         Ford        133.482   26.970 + 0.067
 8.  David Reutimann     Toyota      133.457   26.975 + 0.072
 9.  Regan Smith         Chevrolet   133.437   26.979 + 0.076
10.  Jimmie Johnson      Chevrolet   133.338   26.999 + 0.096
11.  Carl Edwards        Ford        133.318   27.003 + 0.100
12.  Denny Hamlin        Toyota      133.259   27.015 + 0.112
13.  Greg Biffle         Ford        133.240   27.019 + 0.116
14.  David Ragan         Ford        133.156   27.036 + 0.133
15.  Dale Earnhardt Jr   Chevrolet   133.121   27.043 + 0.140
16.  Jeff Burton         Chevrolet   133.077   27.052 + 0.149
17.  Matt Kenseth        Ford        133.023   27.063 + 0.160
18.  Scott Speed         Toyota      132.831   27.102 + 0.199
19.  David Stremme       Dodge       132.812   27.106 + 0.203
20.  Juan Montoya        Chevrolet   132.631   27.143 + 0.240
21.  Kasey Kahne         Dodge       132.626   27.144 + 0.241
22.  Joe Nemechek        Toyota      132.616   27.146 + 0.243
23.  Robby Gordon        Toyota      132.607   27.148 + 0.245
24.  Clint Bowyer        Chevrolet   132.602   27.149 + 0.246
25.  AJ Allmendinger     Dodge       132.558   27.158 + 0.255
26.  Martin Truex Jr     Chevrolet   132.519   27.166 + 0.263
27.  David Gilliland     Chevrolet   132.499   27.170 + 0.267
28.  Jamie McMurray      Ford        132.470   27.176 + 0.273
29.  Marcos Ambrose      Toyota      132.402   27.190 + 0.287
30.  Ryan Newman         Chevrolet   132.353   27.200 + 0.297
31.  Joey Logano         Toyota      132.168   27.238 + 0.335
32.  Michael Waltrip     Toyota      132.086   27.255 + 0.352
33.  Kevin Harvick       Chevrolet   132.023   27.268 + 0.365
34.  Dave Blaney         Toyota      131.950   27.283 + 0.380
35.  Sam Hornish Jr      Dodge       131.936   27.286 + 0.383
36.  Reed Sorenson       Dodge       131.825   27.309 + 0.406
37.  Scott Riggs         Toyota      131.670   27.341 + 0.438
38.  Casey Mears         Chevrolet   131.608   27.354 + 0.451
39.  Sterling Marlin     Dodge       131.521   27.372 + 0.469
40.  Elliott Sadler      Dodge       130.928   27.496 + 0.593
41.  John Andretti       Chevrolet   130.567   27.572 + 0.669
42.  Bobby Labonte       Ford        130.534   27.579 + 0.676
43.  Tony Raines         Dodge       131.406   27.396 + 0.493