This weekend it is back out west and into the desert as the season rolls around to its eight stop of the season at Phoenix International Raceway. Coors Light Qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 is to be held Thursday evening due to the Saturday evening event.

For those outside the top-35 in Owner Points, many hope this trip out west was not in vane.

Sam Hornish Jr. jumped up two spots in the owner standings to secure his spot in the field for Saturday night’s Subway Fresh Fit 500. Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s Regan Smith remains in 35th, the last car locked into the field.

Johnny Sauter will jump back behind the wheel of the HAAS/CNC No. 70 at Phoenix, but will have to qualify for the event on time after the team fell two spots at Texas Motor Speedway to 36th. It was announced this week the team had parted ways with Jeremy Mayfield and Sauter – the team’s 2007 driver – got the call.

The Toyotas of Dave Blaney and David Reutimann will also be on the bubble Thursday night, as they sit 37th and 38th in points. Blaney has struggled thus far in 2008, mostly due to bad luck. Reutimann fell outside the top-35 after switching from the No. 00 to the No. 44. Reutimann had secured a spot in the top-35 prior to the change; however NASCAR did not allow the Michael Waltrip Racing driver to bring those points with him.

Kyle Petty and the Petty Enterprises No. 45 continue to struggle after missing the last two events. Last week at Texas, Kyle stepped out of the car in favor of Chad McCumbee, however not much changed. This week, Petty is back in the car and has a new crew chief on top of the box in Stewart Cooper.

For these teams, missing a race can be a devastating blow to their confidence and their momentum. With so much importance placed on making the show, this often makes qualifying day more important than the race itself.