Jimmie Johnson snags Coors Light Pole at Phoenix

“We just didn’t have the opportunity there at the end”.

Unfortunately for them, it did.

Kevin Harvick sits in his vehicle Saturday, November 14, 2015, before practice for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Phoenix global Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

“Our heads are still high, and it’s been a great season”.

In a rain-shortened Quicken Loans 500 that was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr., four drivers – Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. – advanced to the championship next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Raceway.

Busch is one of seven drivers vying for three available slots in next week’s title-deciding season finale. Race distance: 312 miles, 312 laps.

“It’s an emotional game”, said Kurt Busch, who is seventh in points and has advanced through the Chase without winning.

By the time they reached the finish line, Busch’s margin of victory was a comfortable three seconds – the only glitch he encountered all afternoon was a result of being too aggressive on his celebratory burnouts which left the #54 stopping short of driving into victory lane. The laps led tally didn’t set a new track record for most laps led in the event, but only because Busch himself had already set that by leading every single lap of the 2011 race. “God didn’t have it in the cards for us tonight”, Logano said. Even without a victory, at least two drivers will advance on points.

Keselowski dominated Texas last week but saw his berth into the finale snatched away by Jimmie Johnson in the closing laps. If Harvick had not triggered a wreck that ended the race in Talladega, Ala., he most likely would have been eliminated. “It matters what entertains the fans, and if the fans are happy, that’s what it’s all about”.

With only Gordon locked into the championship round thanks to his win two weeks ago at Martinsville Speedway, a solid top-five run at Phoenix should be enough for Harvick to earn the right to compete for a championship at Homestead for the second year running.

“He has a keen sense to find more speed than anybody else”, is how teammate Kurt Busch sums up Harvick’s uncanny feel for the flat Phoenix mile.

“It’s a very fun, exciting, challenging race track, and we’re working really hard to try to get another win”.

“It’s no one’s fault”, Logano said. “That’s the way this Chase is”. The penalty sent Busch to the back of the field. He knows he needs to win Phoenix to make it to Homestead.

Edwards was on pit road being interviewed on NBCSN’s broadcast – under an umbrella – and offering his opinion that the track could be dried and the race restarted when NASCAR made the call to abandon the remaining laps.