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. Jamie Langenbrunner Jersey .ca contributor Grant McCagg provides a look at some risers and fallers on the prospect watch. Mirco Mueller Devils Jersey . Halak did not get the start in the Washington Capitals Tuesday night game against the St. http://www.devilssale.com/authentic-kyle...-devils-jersey/. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract. Pavel Zacha Jersey . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners. Kyle Palmieri Jersey . The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. So the Suns 100-94 victory over Boston Wednesday night was an uphill affair, with Phoenix relying on balance rather than its trademark high energy.OAKLAND, Calif. -- After getting a taste of a pennant race as a late-season call-up last year, Martin Perez looks nothing like a rookie this time around. Perez allowed one run in seven innings to win his sixth straight start and Mitch Moreland homered to move the Texas Rangers back into sole possession of first place in the AL West with a 4-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. "Hes grown leaps and bounds really," manager Ron Washington said. "Its maturity. The experience he had last year up here helped him tremendously. He realized he can pitch up here and he just goes out there and pitches. Right now a lot of good things are happening for him." Perez made six appearances after being called up last September and lost twice to the As to help Oakland steal the AL West title from Texas. Perez (9-3) is doing his best to win that title back this year. After falling into a tie for first with the As when they lost the series opener, the Rangers bounced back and are assured of leaving Oakland for the final time in the regular season with at least a share of the division lead. "When you come the first time, you dont have too much of an idea, how the game is here," Perez said. "Its the same ball, but a lot of guys have more experience than you. I just tried to learn last year and this year too. Every day you learn something new. You have to have a plan for the game. ... I just want to continue." Bartolo Colon (14-6) allowed three unearned runs in the fifth inning following his own error and missed an opportunity to become first pitcher to reach 20 career wins against Texas. Colon is winless in five starts since July 26 with a DL stint in the middle of that stretch. The highlight of the game for Oakland came in the sixth inning when third baseman Josh Donaldson raced across the vast foul territory at the Coliseum and leaped over the tarp to make a backhand catch to rob David Murphy. "Youre not going to see too many plays better than that," manager Bob Melvin said. That spectacular play came after a poor decision earlier in the game that squandered a prime scoring chance for Oakland. Donaldson was on second with two outs when Yoenis Cespedes hit a grounder into the hole between third and shortstop. Jurickson Profar got to the ball but held onto it as he had no play at first. Donaldson ran through coach Mike Gallegos stop sign and was easily thrownn out at home despite barrelling into A.ddddddddddddJ. Pierzynski. "For some reason I thought I heard go," Donaldson said. "I know it wasnt Gags because as soon as I took two steps he was saying, Stay here, stay here. It ended up being a really bad play for us and for myself." Oakland didnt threaten again off Perez and lost for just the second time in its past nine games. Colon, making his second start back from a strained left groin, stranded runners on third with less than two outs in the first and third innings. But he lost the lead on Morelands solo homer with two outs in the fourth. The Rangers struck for three unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead with help from two comebackers that Colon could not handle. The rally started when Craig Gentry reached on an error with one out when his grounder popped out of Colons glove. Gentry scored on Profars double into the right-field corner that rookie Michael Choice bobbled. Ian Kinsler followed with another comebacker that hit off Colons glove and was ruled an infield single. Adrian Beltre added a run-scoring groundout and Pierzynski blooped an RBI single. "The one play that made the difference was the groundball hit to me that I dropped," Colon said through an interpreter. "It was a routine play." Alex Rios added a leadoff homer in the eighth to make it 5-1. Perez followed up his perfect August by winning again to start September, shutting Oakland down after Coco Crisp doubled and scored on Jed Lowries sacrifice fly in the first. Perez became the first Texas pitcher to win six consecutive starts since Kenny Rogers won eight straight in 2005. His last four wins have come against All-Star pitchers, outdueling Seattles Felix Hernandez twice and Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox once. "After the leadoff double, he was lights out," Pierzynski said. "He had all the pitches going." NOTES: Moreland has five HRs this season at the Coliseum. ... Pierzynski caught his 100th game for Texas, joining Bill Dickey, Johnny Bench and Brad Ausmus as the only players to reach that milestone in 13 straight seasons. ... Rangers SS Elvis Andrus missed his third straight game with a sore back and could be back for the series finale Wednesday or Friday in Anaheim. ... Oaklands Jarrod Parker (10-6), who is 8-0 in his last 17 starts, takes Yu Darvish (12-6) in the series finale Wednesday. ' ' '