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Foster Rewards Sponsor With Pole

By Jason Christley, NASCAR
April 10, 2008 - 6:49pm

Avondale, Ariz. – Ryan Foster wasn’t sure if he’d even be here. But as soon as he concluded his qualifying lap that it was good enough to put him up at the front of Thursday night’s event.

Foster (No. 41 Glen Haven Beach Resort Ford) got an infusion in the form of his sponsor to be able to haul to Phoenix International Raceway for the NASCAR Camping World Series West race. He repaid the effort with a Coors Light Pole run Thursday afternoon for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 150.

“I felt it before I crossed the finish line,” said Foster. “I said, ‘This is it baby.’ ”

Foster went out ninth out of 38 cars and bumped Marc Davis (No. 92 Slim Jim Toyota) off the pole with a time of 28.129 seconds/127.982 mph. Foster and Davis (28.157/127.855) will make up the front row for Thursday’s race. It’s Foster’s first career pole.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL QUALIFYING RESULTS

“Everybody just worked together,” said Foster, who credited crew chief Michael Munoz for helping find and fix a sway bar issue following the second practice and his sponsor for stepping in to get him to the track. “It’s a brand new team. A bunch of people are involved, helping out.

“I think we’re good enough to lead laps and stay out in front.”

Davis, a Joe Gibbs Racing Development driver, finished second to then-teammate Joey Logano at PIR in the race last year.

“Joey qualified second here last year,” Davis said. “I think we’re good. It’s got the history behind it.”

Davis is equally confident in his car: “It’s better than it was last year. It’s a lot better.”

Andrew Myers (No. 77 J&M Construction/Jan’s Towing Toyota) qualified third at 28.184 seconds (127.732), followed by Eric Holmes (No. 20 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota) and Jim Inglebright (No. 1 Jelly Belly Chevrolet).

The race is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. (PT).