NASCAR: Three of Four championship-contending teams fail inspection

Three of the four NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 cars failed inspection prior to the start of qualifying on Saturday night and as a result, each of those teams will lose a crew member.

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kyle Larson, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Denny Hamlin and the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. will each lose a crew member ahead of Sunday’s title race after failing inspection twice.

Car chiefs Jesse Saunders (No. 5 team), Brandon Griffeth (No. 11 team) and Blake Harris (No. 19 team) are the respective crew members that have been ejected. NASCAR

After going out next to last in qualifying, Larson laid down a scorching lap to take the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Larson’s time of 26.116 seconds (137.847 mph) was faster than teammate Chase Elliott (26.289) by nearly two full tenths of a second.

Larson and Elliott are the best of the Championship 4, as they will start from the front row while Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. will start sixth and 12th, respectively.