NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix starting lineup: Brad Keselowski wins pole

The NASCAR Cup Series will now shift to the Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) for 312 laps around the 1-mile Instacart 500 on Sunday, Mar. 14. Brad Keselowski will start from pole instead of last weekend's winner, Kyle Larson. The Team Penske No. 2 driver may have finished second at Las Vegas, but he won the Busch Pole Award because of his second place in the points standings, with 149 in comparison to Larson, who is third with 147 points.

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) driver Larson will, however, start alongside the NASCAR veteran on the front row.

Keselowski won Stage 1 of the Pennzoil 400, before Larson took matters into his own hands to win Stage 2, and eventually the race as well. It marked his first win with HMS after reinstatement to NASCAR.

Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell will make up the second row for the Phoenix race.

The #2crew is going to love this! @keselowski will start on the pole for Sunday's race at @phoenixraceway! pic.twitter.com/QWr2Lmv34D

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 10, 2021

There will be no practice or qualifying for this fifth race in the NASCAR Cup Series because of the COVID-19 restrictions in place.

The next qualifying session will be for the dirt-track race at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 28.

Jason Biggs, an American actor and comedian, will serve as the Grand Marshall for the race and bring the field to life for the NASCAR Instacart 500.

Yeah, you heard it right last night! @JasonBiggs will be our Grand Marshall for the #Instacart500 this Sunday 🌵 #NASCARReturns | @NASCARonFox pic.twitter.com/SxmEeVkBF0

— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 8, 2021

How is the NASCAR starting lineup for the Instacart 500 at Phoenix determined?

Paint it like one of your 𝓇𝒶𝒸𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓉𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝑔𝑜𝓈#Instacart500 | #NASCARReturns pic.twitter.com/85VJTqmFCg

— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 10, 2021

Since there is no qualifying, metrics determine the lineup for the NASCAR Cup race at PIR. The metrics are based on individual performance, along with season-long results.

• 25% of driver's finish position from the last race
• 25% of car owner's finish position from the last race
• 35% points ranking for team owners
• 15% consideration given to fastest lap since last race

Phoenix starting lineup

The lineup for the NASCAR Instacart 500 at PIR on March 14:

1 Brad Keselowski - No. 2 Team Penkse Ford

2 Kyle Larson - No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

3 Denny Hamlin - No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

4 Christopher Bell - No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

5 Martin Truex Jr. - No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

6 Chase Elliott - No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

7 Kyle Busch - No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

8 Ryan Blaney - No. 12 Team Penske Ford

9 Joey Logano - No. 22 Team Penske Ford

10 William Byron - No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

11 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

12 Kurt Busch - No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet

13 Austin Dillon - No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

14 Erik Jones - No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet

15 Ryan Preece - No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

16 Michael McDowell - No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

17 Chris Buescher - No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford

18 Kevin Harvick - No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

19 Ryan Newman - No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford

20 Matt DiBenedetto - No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

21 Alex Bowman - No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

22 Ross Chastain - No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet

23 Tyler Reddick - No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

24 Cole Custer - No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

25 Bubba Wallace - No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

26 Chase Briscoe - No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27 Daniel Suarez - No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet

28 Anthony Alfredo - No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

29 Justin Haley - No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

30 BJ McLeod - No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford

31 Cody Ware - No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet

32 Aric Almirola - No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

33 Corey LaJoie - No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

34 JJ Yeley - No. 53 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

35 Quin Houff - No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet

36 Josh Bilicki - No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford

37 Timmy Hill - No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford

38 James Davison - No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

How to watch the NASCAR race at Phoenix?

We're about to make the West wild again.🌵 | @phoenixraceway pic.twitter.com/BuHY7APtvL

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 9, 2021

The NASCAR Cup Series race at PIR, Instacart 500, can be watched on FOX at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Mar. 14.

Pit stall selection for the NASCAR race at Phoenix

Cup pit road chart for Sunday: pic.twitter.com/lYuy3on3Gr

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 10, 2021

The Instacart 500 will be the first NASCAR event at Phoenix International Raceway this season before it returns to the oval track for the championship race in November.