Kyle Busch To Pace The Field For The Brickyard 400

Kyle Busch poses with the Coors Light Pole Award sticker on his car for the Brickyard 400. [Father Dale Grubba Photo]

Speedway, Ind. July 22— Defending Brickyard winner Kyle Busch will pace the field for the Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard from the pole position after topping the final round of qualifications Saturday afternoon with a speed of 184.634 mph.

“It’s really important (to start from the pole),” Busch said after winning his first Indianapolis pole position in twelve races, “But I’ve run here well from not qualifying very well here too.”

“If you’ve got a good race car, you can make the most of your opportunities no matter where you start,” Busch continued, “But it always makes it that much easier by starting up front.”

Busch led a contingent of Toyota drivers at the front of the field that denied retiring Indiana native and fan favorite Tony Stewart the top starting spot in his final Brickyard 400. Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards will share the front row after turning in the second fastest lap at 184.547 mph while Stewart will start third with a qualifying speed of 184.328 mph. Denny Hamlin, a third member of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota stable will start fourth after posting a 184.079 mph qualifying lap.

“I was really happy with my lap and was surprised Kyle (Busch) got me,” Edwards explained afterwards, “It’s frustrating now because it was second but by tomorrow I’ll be happy with it because we’re running really well.”

“I wish I could do that lap one more time,” said Stewart, who will be making his 18th and final Brickyard 400 start on Sunday before retiring from NASCAR Cup competition at the end of the season, “Then I would not clip the apron in turn four and I think I would be on the pole.”

Brad Keselowski piloted his Penske Ford to the fifth qualifying position with a speed of 183.591 mph and was the only Ford representative in the top twelve.

“A top five on a hot day like today isn’t too shabby, but of course we want the pole and we want to win the race,” Keselowski stated, “That’s the most important part is winning the race, so we can win the race from fifth.” A Ford has not won the Brickyard 400 since 1999.

Ryan Newman drove his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the sixth starting spot followed by Kevin Harvick in his Stewart-Haas Chevrolet while Martin Truex Jr.s, Furniture Row Racing Toyota will start eighth. Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson, teammates in Ganassi Racing Chevrolets rounded out the top ten qualifiers in ninth and tenth respectively. Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon were the final two qualifiers from the third and final qualifying round in eleventh and twelfth.

Jimmie Johnson led the opening round of qualifying but could only post the 13th fastest time in the second round which is where he will start on Sunday followed by Joey Logano in 14th. Chase Elliott was the highest qualifying rookie in 15th place while Jeff Gordon, who came out of retirement to fill in for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr will start 21st.

Among the notable drivers who failed to advance from the opening qualifying round in which the top 24 advanced to the next round were A.J. Allmendinger in 25th and Kasey Kahne in 26th. Forty one cars took qualification laps for the forty available starting positions and Josh Wise was the driver who failed to qualify for the Brickyard 400.

Related Posts

• 
  Sebring 2024
• 
  Giuseppe Victorious
• 
  Car or Driver