Page 17 - aruba-today-20190817

A17
Saturday 17 auguSt 2019

Hamlin

wins 1st PAYING

pole of

season THE BRYCE

for Toyota

and Gibbs

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Den-
ny Hamlin has won the pole
for Saturday night's race at
Bristol Motor Speedway, a
critical short-track show-
down for drivers trying to
qualify for the playoffs.
The Daytona 500 winner
turned a lap at 129.230
mph in his Toyota for Joe
Gibbs Racing in Friday's
qualifying session. His ef-
fort bumped Kyle Larson to
second and Larson is not
locked into the 16-driver
playoff field with three rac-
es remaining to fill the final
seven slots.
Winless on the season, Lar-
son is ranked 13th in the
standings and briefly held
the pole until Hamlin's fast
lap. The two planned to
watch Friday night's Xfin-
ity Series race together sit-
ting in the Bristol stands, so
Hamlin took great delight
in knocking him from the
top starting spot.
"I was wondering why he
was giving me the fin-
ger when I pulled in," said
Hamlin, who won not only
his first pole of the season
but the first for Toyota and
JGR.
Larson still feels good
about a strong run that
can push him into a play-
off spot. Only nine drivers
have locked up berths Harper hits grand slam in 9th,
and a victory earns an au-
tomatic spot in the cham-
pionship race. Phillies rally past Cubs 7-5
“I feel like we’ve been
points racing a little bit
lately,” Larson said.
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper celebrates the team's win over the Chicago Cubs in a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019,
Continued on Page 20 in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 7-5 on a grand slam by Harper in the ninth.
Associated Press
Page 20