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AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Former champion Rusty Wallace says he hasn't seen a big change in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s performance this year after Earnhardt's move from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports.

The big change is that Earnhardt made the Chase this season after missing it last year at DEI. Still, after a strong first half, he's struggled. He has three top-10 finishes in the last 16 races.

"Junior's a good driver and he's probably doing what I expected him to do," said Wallace, an analyst for ABC/ESPN. "He's not the greatest driver. Junior is good. When I think of these drivers nowadays, I think of Jeff Gordon, I think of Jimmie Johnson, I think of Carl Edwards, I think of Tony Stewart. ...

"Do I look at (Earnhardt) as a top four? I don't look at him as a top four right now. I really thought performance-wise, I personally think he did every bit as good with his old team as he's doing with his new team."

FAST START: Points leader Jimmie Johnson won the pole for Sunday's Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Johnson won the pole with a lap of 134.725 mph. Jamie McMurray starts second after a lap of 134.625 mph. Kurt Busch (134.529 mph) is third with David Reutimann (134.514) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (134.108) completing the top five.

HORNISH STAYING: Rookie Sam Hornish Jr. says a report that he'll return to the Indy Car circuit after this season is "basically untrue.''

"I've said in the past that even if I have to step down and go to a good Nationwide ride to be able to get back here to try to get to the points where I can win Sprint Cup races, I'm willing to do that before I'm going to give up and go back over (to Indy cars),'' he said.

CHANGES: Tony Stewart is expected to announce next week at Homestead that Tony Gibson will be his crew chief. Gibson is the crew chief for the Dale Earnhardt Inc. team where Mark Martin and Aric Almirola share the ride.

HARVICK WINS TRUCKS RACE: Kevin Harvick raced to his first Truck Series victory in five years Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway. Harvick, who last won a Truck Series race at this track in 2003, won for the first time driving his own equipment. It was the third straight victory for Kevin Harvick Inc., which won at Atlanta with Ryan Newman and Texas with Ron Hornaday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com