Notebook: Accident costs Kyle Busch front-row start

Notebook: Accident costs Kyle Busch front-row start

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

LAS VEGAS -- After a brush with the wall early in Saturday's first NASCAR Sprint Cup practice session, Kyle Busch will drive a backup car in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Because of the change from primary to backup No. 18 Toyota, Busch must give up his second-place starting position and take the green flag from the rear of the field.

According to Jimmy Makar, vice president of racing operations at Joe Gibbs Racing, the choice to go to the backup was a difficult one.

"We can repair it -- we just don't know if we can get it back where it needs to be," Makar said of the primary car. "The frame is bent a little bit in the back. That makes us a little bit nervous, so we opted for the backup car to make sure we have a car that that we know is proper.

"The backup car is good. I don't think there will be any issues with that. It's a good up-to-date racecar. It just puts us a little behind working on that. The car was awful good in practice. (It) came off the truck, and he was fast, consistent. He felt good in it. He liked the way it felt. To give that up is a bit disheartening, but it will be all right."

According to Makar, the No. 18 team planned to put the engine of the primary car into the backup after Saturday's second practice session.

JOHNSON SLAMS WALL IN SECOND PRACTICE

Jimmie Johnson's comeback from a deep hole in the Cup points standings took another hit on Saturday during the opening minute of the second practice session.

Before Johnson completed his first lap, the No. 48 Chevrolet slid sideways into the Turn 2 wall, forcing the champion to a backup car and a trip to the rear of the field for the start of Sunday's race.

"I had to chase it up the track," Johnson said of his efforts to save the car after it began to slide. "Once I got into the gray -- the dirty stuff -- it was over from there . . . I was just trying to get all that I could and trying to see what the limits of the car were, and unfortunately I found them in practice -- I guess better in practice than in the race.

"But I know we've got a real fast setup to put on this (backup) racecar."

After a 42nd-place finish in the Daytona 500 and 25-point penalty for infractions discovered before that race, Johnson is 38th in the Cup standings, despite a fourth-place run last Sunday at Phoenix.

Hendrick Motorsports will present its case in an appeal of the No. 48 penalties on Tuesday. NASCAR inspectors discovered unapproved modifications to the "C" posts of Johnson's car during opening-day inspection at Daytona.

The sanctioning body slapped crew chief Chad Knaus with a $100,000 fine and a six-race suspension. Car chief Ron Malec also drew a six-race suspension.

Johnson and car owner Jeff Gordon were docked 25 points each.

SHORT STROKES

Shortly after Johnson's accident, Marcos Ambrose spun off Turn 4 and slid through the infield grass. Ambrose was able to the save the car and returned to the track shortly thereafter . . . Defending race winner Carl Edwards said his No. 99 Ford felt great during the second practice session. The bad news was that the car lacked speed. Edwards was 29th fastest in Happy Hour.