Two To Go In NASCAR Season

The 2012 NASCAR season is rapidly coming to a close.  There are just two races left in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship.  This weekend the teams have headed west to Phoenix International Raceway.  In Friday's qualifying, a new track record was set.

Kyle Busch driving the No. 18 M&M's Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing set fast time and won the pole for the AdvoCare 500 with a speed of 138.788 mph.  This is Busch's second pole of the season - his last came in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Chase for the Championship remains tight as Jimmie Johnson leads Brad Keselowski by just 7 points.  Although 10 drivers remain mathematically in contention for the title, it looks like the title will be decided between two drivers just like last year.  Johnson qualified 24th and Keselowski qualified 14th for Sunday's  next-to-last race of the year.

Last year's champion Tony Stewart is eight in points and although he will start 9th in the race Sunday he will need nothing short of a miracle to climb into realistic contention to defend this title.  A driver who remains hopeful heading into Phoenix is Clint Bowyer who is in third place in the driver points standings.  Bowyer starts16th Sunday.