SONOMA, Calif. -- Jamie McMurray took the time to help rookie teammate Kyle Larson learn the road course at Sonoma Raceway. The payoff for working together was two Chip Ganassi Racing cars in the top three of the starting field of Sundays race. McMurray won the pole for Sundays race with a track record lap that bumped AJ Allmendinger from the top starting spot, and Larson qualified a surprising third. Allmendinger seemed to have the pole locked down until McMurray turned a lap at 96.350 mph in the final minute of Saturdays qualifying session. It broke the record of 95.262 mph set by Marcos Ambrose in 2012. "Great lap, I am so excited," McMurray said. "I thought our car in race trim was really good, really good on the long runs. Were not going to change a whole lot, I feel really good about it." Its the first pole of the season for McMurray, 10th of his career, and third at Sonoma. McMurray also started from the pole last year but finished 25th. He called the qualifying session stressful under NASCARs new knockout format. McMurray was on the verge of being eliminated in the first of the two rounds, but he went out for one last lap to advance into the top 12. Then he bumped Allmendinger as the clock wound down on the final 10-minute session. "I think everybody in the garage area has been stressed out about trying to get that clean lap in qualifying all weekend long," McMurray said. "This knockout qualifying is just an emotional roller-coaster. Theres a lot of highs and lows with it." Allmendinger wound up second in a race he believes he can win. He was out of the Sprint Cup Series a year ago because of a failed random NASCAR drug test in 2012, so while the series was racing at Sonoma, Allmendinger was in the Nationwide Series race at Road America. He delivered in the Wisconsin race for his first career victory and found his way back into a full-time ride in Cup. He wasnt disappointed after McMurray bumped him from the pole, but it eyeing another win. "We were in position to have (the pole), so it could be a lot worse," Allmendinger said. "It sucks when you are that close, but you know what? Jamie put in a heck of a lap. Weve got a clean view of the track when we go green and were going to have some fun tomorrow. Weve got a pretty good shot to win this thing." In a surprise, McMurrays rookie teammate Kyle Larson was third to give Chip Ganassi Racing two cars in the top three. Larson doesnt have a ton of road course experience, and the rookie is admittedly still learning how to shift. Larson, who replaced road course specialist Juan Pablo Montoya in the Ganassi entry, seemed surprised by his run. "It would be interesting to see what Juan could have done today in my car because I dont feel Im that good on road courses," Larson said. "Ive never raced here before. I really rely on McMurray -- I sat in the lounge with him for 15 or 20 minutes and he just went through every corner with me and tried to give me as much information as I needed. Carl Edwards was fourth and followed by Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman. The rest of the top 12 included Brian Vickers, Paul Menard, Joey Logano, Danica Patrick and Casey Mears. Patrick has now advanced into the final round of qualifying five times this season. "We would have liked it to be better, but well take it," Patrick said. Hendrick Motorsports goes into Sundays race looking to extend its five-race winning streak, but its drivers will have to come from deep in the field to make it six straight. Jeff Gordon, the all-time winner at Sonoma with five victories, was the highest-qualifying Hendrick driver at 15th. "We pride ourselves on being good on the road courses, especially here at Sonoma," Gordon said. "Obviously we will talk to our teammates, and see what they were dealing with as well. Very disappointed to not have any Hendrick cars in the top-12." Jimmie Johnson, winner of three of the last four races, qualified 22nd. Its his lowest starting spot at Sonoma since 2007. Failing to advance in the final group of 12 in qualifying were road course favourites Tony Stewart, the only Stewart-Haas Racing driver not to make it into the final group, as well as Ambrose and defending race winner Martin Truex Jr. Jonathan Schoop Jersey . "I never commented to anyone that I wanted out," he explained. "My heart is with this group and making the playoffs." Kesler added that the rumours are "completely false" that he asked to be traded - recently or ever. Lewis Thorpe Twins Jersey . The Cavaliers first-year forward will miss at least three weeks with a strained left knee, the latest setback for the No. https://www.cheaptwins.com/582t-ryne-har...rsey-twins.html. -- The NFL cancelled its Hall of Fame game between St. Ryan LaMarre Twins Jersey . Make the extra pass, take care of the ball, play defence and get more out of his bench. Mitch Garver Twins Jersey .com) - Brad Stuart has yet to play a regular-season game for the Colorado Avalanche, but that didnt deter the club from signing the veteran defenseman to a two-year contract extension on Monday.The Vancouver Whitecaps lost at home for just the second time this season in MLS league play on Saturday, falling victim to a third minute strike by Landon Donovan to lose 1-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Results elsewhere over the weekend saw the Whitecaps drop from the fifth and final playoff spot to seventh place in the Western Conference. The opening 45 minutes saw the Whitecaps struggle to find their rhythm in midfield. Head coach Martin Rennie prefers to play a 4-3-3 formation, with Gershon Koffie his preferred option as a number six (holding midfielder) and Nigel Reo-Coker as a number eight (box-to-box midfielder). Unfortunately for the Whitecaps, their options for the number ten role (attacking, creative midfielder) are very limited. Daigo Kobayashi has been given plenty of opportunity to earn his place in that role, yet every time he takes the field, he is found wanting. He just doesnt have a enough of an influence on the game, despite having the technical ability to do so. He hides from his teammates at times; he makes an angle to receive the ball, but not enough of an angle to make passing him the ball a legitimate option. That his instructions from the coaching staff upon being put into the game as a second half substitute on Saturday were, "Get involved!" speaks volumes about his lack of influence. Against the Galaxy on Saturday, Matt Watson was given an opportunity to stake his claim for the third midfield spot alongside Koffie and Reo-Coker. Unfortunately for Watson, he simply isnt the option that the Whitecaps require. Watson is a hard-working, diligent, versatile player. He covers a lot of ground, and his work rate is excellent. However, a number ten needs to have exceptional technical ability, vision and creativity - characteristics not generally viewed as Watsons strengths. The Galaxy goal was an excellent example of this. As the ball was played in to Watson from left fullback Jordan Harvey, Watsons best option was to play the ball around the corner with the outside of his right foot, into the feet of striker Darren Mattocks. Watsons technique let him down, as his wayward pass was intercepted by Galaxy fullback A.J. DeLaGarza, whose ball up to Robbie Keane was deflected into Donovans path.dddddddddddd Donovan took a touch before smashing a left-foot strike into the top corner. (There is plenty of blame for the goal to be laid at the feet of Mattocks, whose lack of awareness was painfully obvious - but that is for another blog!) Given the players at Rennies disposal, if his preference is to stick with a 4-3-3 formation, he might consider dropping Kenny Miller into the number ten role - something that worked well in pre-season for the Caps. The reason to choose Miller over players like Russell Teibert or Kekuta Manneh is very simple: those players are still very young, and the burden of such an important role should be borne by an experienced player. Miller has shown that he is capable of causing problems when dropping into the gap between the opponents back four and midfield, which is the area traditionally occupied by a number ten. Shifting him into this role is something that he would take in his stride, allowing the Whitecaps to use an array of speedy options up front. The likes of Manneh, Mattocks, and Erik Hurtado are exceptionally quick. With leading scorer Camilo always likely to be the first option through the middle up front and Teibert occupying the right side, Rennie could start with Manneh on the left, leaving the speed of Mattocks and Hurtado as options off the bench. Another solution for Rennie, of course, is to bring in a new player to occupy the number ten role. With the transfer window now being closed in MLS, that will have to wait until the end of the season. Ironically, former Whitecap Davide Chiumiento would thrive in Rennies current squad, given the additions of experienced players like Miller and Reo-Coker. A player of Chiumientos ilk is certain to be top of Rennies shopping list in the offseason. Before we get there, though, the Whitecaps have a tough run of games to finish the season, with eight of their nine remaining league games being against Western Conference opponents. If they are to make a second consecutive playoff appearance, the Whitecaps will have to first address their lack of balance in midfield. ' ' '