JOLIET, Ill. -- Kyle Busch put his 2016 wins to good use Friday. He used them to win a pole.The top seed in the Chase for the third time in his career, Busch for the first time enters the postseason as the defending champion. He believes the confidence earned by winning the Sprint Cup can help as he tries to earn back-to-back championships.We have a lot of expectations on us, but I feel as though being able to win the championship last year it sort of solidified my career a little bit more, Busch said. [It] also gave us the opportunity to know that were a championship team and we can do this.Weve just got to make sure that things kind of go our way and youve got to have a little bit of luck on your side in order to get there to the end.The key to Busch winning the 2015 title was his allowing the Chase to come to him. He didnt run up front all that much as he led more than 20 laps in the Chase-opening race and then not again until leading 41 on the way to the win in the championship event at Homestead, Florida.He did what he had to do to advance and then capitalized on the opportunity.That will be his goal again starting Sunday in the Chase-opening race at Chicagoland Speedway.He will start from the pole as qualifying was canceled because rain washed out the initial practice scheduled for early Friday afternoon. All of the 16 Chase drivers will line up 1 to 16, with Busch and Brad Keselowski -- the two drivers with four wins this year -- on the front row.Anything can happen, Busch said. We could have a bad car to start off the race and we could fade real quick and well have to fight our way back. Hopefully that doesnt happen.The pole will give him the coveted first pit stall at pit out position, which could be key at Chicagoland, often a track position affair. Busch just hopes he can put it to good use -- it could be a wild start with drivers who would have qualified better starting further back because they lined up by points.With all the Chase guys starting up front all together, that certainly is going to be an interesting situation that all of us are going to be right on top of each other to fire off, Busch said. Youre going to see some guys that are deeper in the field that will have some speed.It will be interesting to see what happens there and what the Chase guys do and how many of them dont have the speed they need.Busch is keeping himself busy on the track this weekend. He is competing in all three national series events. The truck race Friday night -- which he won -- was his last in that series of the year. In addition to the Xfinity Series race Saturday, he has races coming up at Dover, Kansas and Phoenix left on that series schedule.Is that good?Yes and no, Busch said. It could go both ways.Busch will have to just take things as they come if he wants to find himself with a shot at Homestead. Last year, after missing 11 races because of injury, he felt he was playing with house money in the Chase.Hell try to carry that feeling again.Youve got a different or a better mindset of being able to race for a championship after once accomplishing one because you knew what it took to accomplish that and last year it was not all that stressful, Busch said.We just kind of let it play out and be as it was and we were going to be happy with the results no matter what, so youve kind of got to do the same thing this time around and let fate be with you. Fake White Sox Jerseys . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Wholesale White Sox Jerseys . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/ . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. Chicago White Sox Store . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Cheap White Sox Jerseys .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Tuesday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EST:- The third College Football Playoff rankings should have a different look after three of the top four teams lost last weekend. Ohio State should rise, but how far will Clemson, Michigan and Washington fall? Released about 9:15 p.m.- Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has all but wrapped up the Heisman Trophy. But Oklahomas Dede Westbrook is getting some attention, something rare for a receiver.- Three notable mens college basketball games: No. 1 Duke-No. 7 Kansas (9:30 p.m.); No. 2 Kentucky-No. 13 Michigan State (7 p.m.); and No. 9 Wisconsin-No. 22 Creighton (8:30 p.m.).- DOHA, Qatar -- American sprinter Allyson Felix tells Olympic officials they should not be worried by Donald Trumps election when they consider Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Summer Games.- DOHA, Qatar -- IOC President Thomas Bach defends his handling of the Russian doping scandal, attacks critics of the Rio Olympics and contends no cities would have bid for the 2024 Games without his reform program.- SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- The U.S. tries to avoid an 0-2 start in the final round of World Cup qualifying and attempts to stop its eight-game losing streak in World Cup qualifiers at Costa Rica. Game starts 9:05 p.m.- NEW YORK -- Baseballs Manager of the Year in the AL and NL are awarded..dddddddddddd Announcements start about 6:15 p.m.- CINCINNATI -- The Bengals have reached the playoffs for five straight seasons, a mark few other NFL teams can claim. But the streak is in danger, and Cincinnati is looking more like an also-ran after yet another close loss.- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Panthers, hit by a string of tight defeats, try to avenge a 41-38 loss to the New Orleans Saints last month when the NFC South rivals play Thursday night.- LONDON -- Novak Djokovic, now dropped to No. 2 in the rankings, plays Milos Raonic in his second match at the ATP finals. In the early match, Dominic Thiem tops Gael Monfils in the season-ending tournament.- Leading the NHL in goals, 18-year-old Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets is leading a wave of young Finnish stars. A generation after Teemu Selanne, the talent keeps flowing from Finland.- NAPLES, Fla. -- Its been a rapid ascent to the level of LPGA elite for Ariya Jutanugarn. So fast, in fact, the 20-year-old player from Thailand is in position to win LPGA player of the year honors.- Former England midfielder Steven Gerrard says he is leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy after two seasons and considering what to do next. The 36-year-old player had spent his entire club career at Liverpool before going to MLS. ' ' '