Kurt Busch rallies from spin to win Kansas pole
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
June 4, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Sometimes it pays to be slow on Friday.
That’s especially true when Sprint Cup qualifying is on Saturday morning, as Kurt Busch proved at Kansas Speedway, where he parlayed an early draw into a pole-winning run.
The only driver with a sub-31-second lap, Busch sped around the 1.5-mile intermediate speedway at 174.752 mph (30.901 seconds) to edge Juan Pablo Montoya (174.154 mph) for the top starting spot in Sunday’s STP 400.
The Coors Light pole award was Busch’s first of the season and the 13th of his career. On a track that got progressively hotter as temperatures approached 90 degrees, Busch was the fifth car to make a timed run, with the slowest cars from Friday’s practice sessions getting the earliest draws.
Compounding Busch’s problems on Friday was a spin off Turn 4 in the second practice session, but the driver of the No. 22 Penske Dodge atoned for that misfortune with a brilliant run in Saturday’s time trials.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
June 4, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Sometimes it pays to be slow on Friday.
That’s especially true when Sprint Cup qualifying is on Saturday morning, as Kurt Busch proved at Kansas Speedway, where he parlayed an early draw into a pole-winning run.
The only driver with a sub-31-second lap, Busch sped around the 1.5-mile intermediate speedway at 174.752 mph (30.901 seconds) to edge Juan Pablo Montoya (174.154 mph) for the top starting spot in Sunday’s STP 400.
The Coors Light pole award was Busch’s first of the season and the 13th of his career. On a track that got progressively hotter as temperatures approached 90 degrees, Busch was the fifth car to make a timed run, with the slowest cars from Friday’s practice sessions getting the earliest draws.
Compounding Busch’s problems on Friday was a spin off Turn 4 in the second practice session, but the driver of the No. 22 Penske Dodge atoned for that misfortune with a brilliant run in Saturday’s time trials.
Kyle Busch was the fastest of the late qualifiers, claiming the third starting spot with a lap at 174.081 mph. Brian Vickers, the 33rd driver to attempt qualifying, was fourth at 173.991 mph. Joey Logano, fastest in Friday’s practice, qualified fifth at 173.851 mph.
Jamie McMurray, series points leader Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick will start from positions six through 10, respectively.
Busch said he was lucky that his team was able to repair damage to the nose of his car after Friday’s spin.
“It bent the nose back on the car when we hit the grass,” Busch said. “Normally, with the bump stops and soft front springs, when you spin and go into the grass, it bends the front ends up. We watched Carl Edwards destroy his car after the All-Star Race (during a celebratory slide through the grass).
“I’ve seen guys do harmless spins and have to go to backup cars. We got lucky that we didn’t have to go to a backup.”Thepole was Busch’s first since he claimed the top starting spot at Michigan in June 2010.
“This is definitely a surprise,” Busch said. “We’re happy for it. It’s been almost a year since we’ve had a pole, so it’s nice to have the AAA Dodge up front and taking the green flag at Kansas.”
Tony Raines and T J Bell failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
Jamie McMurray, series points leader Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick will start from positions six through 10, respectively.
Busch said he was lucky that his team was able to repair damage to the nose of his car after Friday’s spin.
“It bent the nose back on the car when we hit the grass,” Busch said. “Normally, with the bump stops and soft front springs, when you spin and go into the grass, it bends the front ends up. We watched Carl Edwards destroy his car after the All-Star Race (during a celebratory slide through the grass).
“I’ve seen guys do harmless spins and have to go to backup cars. We got lucky that we didn’t have to go to a backup.”Thepole was Busch’s first since he claimed the top starting spot at Michigan in June 2010.
“This is definitely a surprise,” Busch said. “We’re happy for it. It’s been almost a year since we’ve had a pole, so it’s nice to have the AAA Dodge up front and taking the green flag at Kansas.”
Tony Raines and T J Bell failed to qualify for the 43-car field.
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