surprise, McMurrays rookie teammate Kyle Larson was third to give

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. Taco Charlton Cowboys Jersey . The Thunder earned the Game 1 win with a 100-86 victory Saturday night. Oklahoma City dominated the first half and led by 22 at the break, but saw its lead shrink to just two points in the fourth quarter. Demarcus Lawrence Cowboys Jersey ... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. http://www.cowboysfootballgearshop.com/deion-sanders-jersey/. Henderson (20-3) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49-46, and the other judge scored it 48-47 for Thomson (20-6). The announcement drew boos from the United Center crowd. "Train this hard for this long, its such a long camp and I see my title shot disappear," said Thomson, who fought most of the fight with a broken right hand. Trysten Hill Cowboys Jersey . The 49ers, 6-2 and riding a five-game winning streak following the bye week, also waived cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and activated cornerback Eric Wright from the reserve/non-football injury list. Manningham made 42 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown in 12 games and 10 starts last season before injuring his left knee in a loss at Seattle Dec. Leighton Vander Esch Womens Jersey . Head coach Randy Carlyle confirmed the news after the Leafs morning skate on Monday. Kozun was hurt during Friday nights home game against the Red Wings and did not make the return trip to Detroit for Saturdays game. DURBAN, South Africa -- Raphael Jacquelin shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 in extremely windy conditions on South Africas east coast to take the first-round lead at the Volvo Golf Champions on Thursday. Jacquelin was the only player in the 36-man field not to drop a shot around Durban Country Club for a one-stroke advantage over defending champion Louis Oosthuizen. Darren Clarke, whose last title was at the 2011 British Open, was tied for third on 69 alongside Victor Dubuisson. Race to Dubai leader Thomas Bjorn was last after a 7-over 79 which included two double bogeys on the back nine, giving last months big-money winner at Sun City a tough start on his return to South Africa. Jacquelin is competing in his first tournament in around six weeks but the Frenchman picked up shots at Nos. 6 and 8 and finished with three birdies in his last five holes to stay just ahead of Oosthuizen. "Im better when the conditions are difficult and I just seem to score better whether it is in the wind or in the rain, or if the course is difficult," Jacquelin said. "I also stayed focused all day long and when you manage to save par in these conditions you are always going to have a good round. Thats the way I like to play." Jacquelin qualified for the $4 million tournament by winning his fourth European Tour title at last years Spanish Open following a tour record nine-hole playoff.dddddddddddd Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, came into the event following a frustrating 2013 marred by a nagging back complaint. However, the blustery coastal conditions played right into the hands of the South African. "I grew up in Mossel Bay where the wind was born and then goes out to the rest of the country," he said. "So the conditions today were very much like back home and what I have been used to most of my life ... Its just good to get the feel of playing and competing again after all the weeks off." Clarke and Dubuisson -- the reigning Turkish Airlines Open champion -- both returned 69s, with Clarke already showing the benefits of a new fitness regime. But only 16 of the 36 players managed to break par in the testing conditions, with Denmarks Bjorn, Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Africas former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel all struggling. Bjorn, who won the biggest check of his career at Sun City in his last tournament, bogeyed his first hole, added another two bogeys and two doubles and couldnt make a birdie. Three-time Hong Kong Open winner Jimenez also had two double bogeys in his 76 to sit joint second to last. Schwartzel had a double bogey and four bogeys in his 74 for a tie for 28th. ' ' '