– Geoff Bodine won the first pole in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.) – There have been 19 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four. – Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), while Gordon won the fall of 2006 and the spring of 2007. Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011. – Denny Hamlin (November 2005) and AJ Allmendinger (April 2010) won their first career Coors Light poles at Phoenix International Raceway. – Four of the 34 (11.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the Coors Light pole: Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009) and Carl Edwards (fall 2010). – Seven of the 34 (20.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from the front row: four from the pole and three from second place. – 16 of the 34 (47%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position inside the top 10. – Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started. – Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.(NASCAR)
