CUP: Phoenix Friday Notebook (UPDATE 8)

Sprint Cup

CUP: Phoenix Friday Notebook (UPDATE 8)

Mark Martin won the pole today at Phoenix International Raceway…

Mike Hembree | Posted March 01, 2013 Avondale, AZ

Mark Martin, driver of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. (Photo: Getty Images)

RESULTS: Phoenix Qualifying

PHOTOS: CUP: Phoenix Qualifying

VIDEO: Martin Wins Phoenix Pole

PHOTOS: NNS Phoenix Practice Gallery

[FRIDAY 6:48 pm ET]

NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER – Jeff Burton was among the top-team drivers who ran into trouble in Sunday's Daytona 500. He rolls into Sunday's race needing a sharp rebound but said he can't afford to dwell on Daytona troubles. "You can't have your tail tucked between your legs coming to Phoenix," he said. "You just have to race. I think the biggest thing you could do is worry about where you finish, and you need to focus on what you need to do to finish well. If you focus on that, you don't have enough time to worry about all the other crap."

[FRIDAY 5:58 pm ET]

HIGH AMBITIONS – Jorge Goeters, a Mexican star who won the pole for tonight's NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series race at PIR, was asked what he hopes to get out of the event. "Hendrick Motorsports," he said with a smile. Twenty-six drivers, all from Mexico, will participate in the 75-mile race, a first for the series in the United States.

[FRIDAY 5:48 pm ET]

OLD TIMES THERE NOT FORGOTTEN – Tony Stewart is not a fan of the "new" Phoenix International Raceway. The track was repaved and reconfigured in 2011. "Every time they change it they keep screwing it up and making it worse," Stewart said Friday. "It was really good the way it was. It was a lot of fun back then."

PHOTOS: CUP Phoenix Garage Pass

[FRIDAY 3:38 pm ET]

TOYOTA TIME – Toyotas were strong in Friday’s opening Sprint Cup practice as Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin filled the top four spots. Kenseth was fastest at 137.023 mph. Carl Edwards, in fifth, was the first non-Toyota on the practice speed chart. In the second five were Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Marcos Ambrose. Danica Patrick was 30th.

PHOTOS: NNS Phoenix Garage Pass

[FRIDAY 1:38 pm ET]

JUNIOR – 'I DON'T LIKE IT': Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday that "It's unfortunate" that Nationwide Series driver Jeremy Clements used a racial slur while talking with an MTV writer last week at Daytona International Speedway. Clements has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR, apparently for using the "N" word in a casual conversation with the reporter. "I don't like it," Earnhardt Jr. said. "There's no room for that in my life. It looks bad for the sport."

[FRIDAY 12:57 pm ET]

Aric Almirola (Pictured) is subbing for Michael Annett in the Nationwide Series this weekend. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

ANNETT HOMEWARD BOUND – Richard Petty Motorsports Nationwide Series driver Michael Annett, injured in a crash at Daytona International Speedway last week, left the hospital Friday to continue his recovery. "Pretty excited to be heading home two days earlier than expected," Annett wrote on his Twitter account Friday. "Hopefully the whole recovery goes this way." Aric Almirola is driving the RPM No. 43 this weekend. Annett, who suffered a sternum injury, is expected to be out indefinitely.

[FRIDAY 12:52 pm ET]

ANOTHER PASTRANA – Nationwide Series driver Travis Pastrana, whose wife is pregnant with their first child, said he will encourage his child to pursue whatever interests arise. Following Dad would involve a wide range of motorsports and "action" sports activities. "I definitely feel for my parents now with everything I've put them through," Pastrana said Friday. "But we'll encourage whatever we have – a boy or a girl – to follow their passon. I'm hoping their passion is golf, maybe."

[FRIDAY 12:44 pm ET]

FILLING IN – Georgia driver Ryan Sieg has replaced Jeremy Clements, who has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR, in the Clements team's No. 51 Chevrolet for Saturday's Nationwide Series race at PIR. Clements has said he expects to miss at least two races after being suspended for using a racial slur in a media interview last week at Daytona International Speedway.

Tony Stewart (Left), driver of the No.14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, speaks with crew chief Steve Addington (Right) during practice at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo: Getty Images)

[FRIDAY 10:04 am ET]

THE DESERT, DAY ONE – The second full weekend of the Sprint Cup season begins today at Phoenix International Raceway with practice and qualifying for Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Cup practice is scheduled at 2 p.m. ET, with qualifying scheduled at 6:10 p.m. SPEED will broadcast both sessions.

ODDLY, ON THE ICE – Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson completed four days of post-victory appearances Thursday night at the Phoenix Coyotes-Minnesota Wild hockey game. Johnson dropped the ceremonial puck prior to the start of the game and drew a nice round of applause from the crowd.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 31 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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