FONTANA, Calif. (AP) – Jamie McMurray and Elliott Sadler will start up front in California after a rough day of qualifying for several Chase contenders.
McMurray had a fast lap of 185.285 mph at Auto Club Speedway’s two-mile oval Friday, just ahead of Sadler, another non-qualifier in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. It’s McMurray’s fourth pole this season.
Points leader Jimmie Johnson will start eighth Sunday, while fellow Chasers Matt Kenseth (third) and Greg Biffle (seventh) also made it into the top 10.
Several Chase drivers struggled on a warm Southern California day, with five qualifying 20th or worse.
Denny Hamlin, who trails Johnson by eight points, will start 34th and Kurt Busch 39th.
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