Sauter, a rookie contender in the series this year, lapped the one-mile oval at 131.019 m.p.h. (27.477 seconds) for his second career pole. His first pole came in June at Texas.

Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, will start on the outside pole, while his teammate, Ron Hornaday, Jr., will roll off third. Hornaday can clinch his record fourth series championship if he leaves Phoenix with at least a 195-point lead over the second-place driver, Matt Crafton. He currently holds a 197-point lead over Crafton, who will start 14th.

Kyle Busch qualified fourth, as he begins his next attempt to win all three of NASCAR's national touring series races on the same weekend. Busch won the Camping World Truck and Nationwide races last week but finished 11th in the Sprint Cup event at Texas.

Aric Almirola completed the top-five.

Mike Bliss qualified sixth, followed by Chad McCumbee, Brian Scott, Stacy Compton and Todd Bodine.

All drivers who qualified made the starting field.

Friday's truck race is scheduled to begin around 8:00 p.m. (et).