Bayern Trupp » in its last eight.

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Jimmie Johnson, his eyes squarely on a sixth NASCAR championship, set the tone for what could be yet another dominating weekend in the desert by winning the pole at Phoenix International Raceway. He did it with a track record. The five-time NASCAR champion turned a lap of 139.222 mph in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on Friday to break the mark of 138.766 set by Kyle Busch last November. "Track records are awesome," Johnson said after Fridays qualifying session. "I dont qualify on pole all that often, so I take great pride in them, especially track records. Very cool to do, and clearly a great time in the season and a great time in the Chase." Matt Kenseth, who trails Johnson by seven points in the standings, will start 14th Sunday in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He knows he has a lot of work ahead of him this weekend in making his car better, and then trying to catch Johnson on Sunday. "This track in the spring was extremely hard to pass at, probably one of the toughest tracks that we go to and I dont know if it will be any better or not this time," Kenseth said. "Pit strategy was all basically the same the last time we were here. So, unless you have cautions fall funny, I dont know if youll be able to do it on pit strategy. I think youre going to have to have a good balance, good speed, you have to be able to pass, have to have good pit stops, all these things. "I dont feel its a track where youre going to get a whole bunch of free ones from a strategy call. I think youre going to have to be good all day." Denny Hamlin qualified second with a lap at 139.023 for JGR, but he went out much later in Fridays session than teammate Kenseth. Joey Logano qualified third in a Penske Racing Ford, and Kyle Busch was fourth as both of Kenseths teammates out-qualified the title contender. Both Hamlin and Logano marveled at Johnsons performance. "Hes been in kill mode for a while," Logano said. "When they are running for that championship, they find that extra notch that a lot of other teams cant find." Johnson is coming off a dominating performance last week at Texas, where he led 255 of the 334 laps to win his sixth race of the season and break a tie with Kenseth in the standings. "Last week, I ran second to him for a while and just to see the speed in his car -- and then he unloads today and you watch in practice how fast his car was," Logano said. "Hes got that next notch and hes going really fast right now." Hamlin, who lost the title to Johnson in 2010, said it was inevitable for Johnson to hit his stride. "Everyone in the garage knew they could turn it up at will, and this is typically the time of the year that they start doing that, especially when they are in championship contention," Hamlin said, adding that Johnson would have to have an off day for Kenseth to have a shot at winning the title. "And when I say off, hes going to have to finish fifth or sixth to give Matt an honest shot at beating him," Hamlin said. "You already know this weekend is pretty much crossed off as being an off weekend." Johnson said he doesnt think the No. 48 team is doing anything different. "Its hard when you are inside of it, inside the car, inside the team, to know what the difference is, because we are doing the same stuff," Johnson said. "But when I look around at what other champions do to do win, they always find a way to find a little more. Somehow we are doing that, yes, I recognize that, but its not a concerted effort. Its not something we are doing any differently. We are trying to rise up to the pace of (Kenseth) and beat him." Marlins Jerseys China . Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Miami Marlins Pro Shop . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. https://www.cheapmarlinsjerseys.us/.com) - Semyon Varlamov more than earned his third shutout of the season as he made a career-high 54 saves to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Fake Marlins Jerseys . A last-minute leveler ensured the two-time defending champion remained nine points ahead of Roma, which drew 0-0 at bitter rival Lazio in the capital derby. Miami Marlins Gear . -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver recently convicted on a felony drug charge.At 12 games out of first place in the American League East, changes are probably coming to the Boston Red Sox. One such move appears to be on the horizon as Jon Lester wont pitch Wednesday nights finale of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays. A pending free agent, Lester is 10-7 with a 2.52 earned run average in 21 starts this year and it appears his time with the franchise that selected him in the second round of the 2002 draft is drawing to a conclusion. If that is the case, Lester will depart a Red Sox franchise that he helped to a pair of World Series victories while going 110-63 in the regular season with a 3.64 ERA over eight-plus seasons. With trade rumors surrounding Lester, manager John Farrell announced after last nights loss that Brandon Workman would start in the left-handers place tonight as the Red Sox try to avoid getting swept. "Yeah, Brandon Workman will start (Wednesday)," Farrell said. "I think in light of all the uncertainty surrounding Jon Lester, its probably in everyones best interests that he does not make that start, so Brandon will be recalled." Workman has not pitched in the majors since July 8, when he was dealt a third straight losing start by the Chicago White Sox. He fell to 1-3 with a 4.13 ERA in 11 games this year, eight of those starts. The 25-year-old righty has faced the Blue Jays only once before and that came in relief on Aug. 14 of last year. He was charged with a run on two hits and a pair of walks in three innings, suffering a loss. The Blue Jays go for a sixth straight win over the Red Sox tonight behind Mark Buehrle, who was once among the major league leaders in wins before a current six-decision losing streak that has stretched nine starts. He has a 4.83 ERA over that span and has not won since June 1. The left-hander is cominng off a 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday, allowing six runs on nine hits and a walk in three innings of work.dddddddddddd He also served up two homers, falling to 0-9 in his past 14 starts versus the Yankees dating back to 2004. Buehrle is just 1-12 all-time versus the Yankees in 19 starts. "Why that is, nobody knows. That (just) happens to some players. This team gives him a tough time," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "I didnt see anything different." The 35-year-old is now 10-7 on the year with a 3.19 ERA and has split a pair of meetings with the Red Sox in 2014. He is 9-10 against them lifetime with a 4.46 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). Young hurler Marcus Stroman guided the Blue Jays to a 4-2 win last night, striking out eight over seven innings of one-run ball. Colby Rasmus smacked a solo shot among his pair of hits, while Anthony Gose drilled a two-run double to help Toronto to its fourth straight win and seventh in eight games. Toronto is 2 1/2 games back of first place Baltimore in the AL East, while Boston fell 11 games under .500 with its seventh setback in its last eight. Rubby De La Rosa surrendered three runs on nine hits and two walks over six frames for Boston. "Rubby gave us an opportunity to win. He pitched with some men on base, with the exception of the 3-1 changeup to Gose that doesnt get to the spot for a two-run double on his part, I thought he gave us a solid effort," said Farrell. "Runs have been a premium. Opportunities have been present, but to complete it and finish it out with a timely base hit, particularly with two outs, has been the key when he havent been able to drive some runs in." Toronto has won nine of 12 against the Red Sox this season, sweeping a three- game set in Boston from May 20-22. ' ' '