All-Star pole winner edges race winner for 600 pole

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Busch, Kahne to start on front row at Lowe's; Vickers third

By Sporting News Wire Service
May 22, 2008
10:34 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. -- Six days after winning the pole for the Sprint All-Star Race, Kyle Busch is up front again at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

In Thursday's conventional qualifying session -- in contrast to the three-laps-and-a-pit-stop format for the All-Star event -- Busch edged All-Star Race winner Kasey Kahne for the pole for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

Coca-Cola 600 Lineup

Pos. Driver Speed Time
1. Ky. Busch 185.433 29.121
2. K. Kahne 185.300 29.142
3. B. Vickers 185.249 29.150
4. G. Biffle 184.969 29.194
5. D. Ragan 184.470 29.273
6. Dale Jr. 184.439 29.278
7. M. Martin 184.181 29.319
8. Ku. Busch 184.106 29.331
9. E. Sadler 183.974 29.352
10. J. Johnson 183.924 29.360

The Sprint Cup points leader covered the 1.5-mile distance in 29.121 seconds (185.433 mph) to knock Kahne (185.300 mph) off the provisional pole. Brian Vickers (185.249 mph) qualified third, followed by All-Star race runner-up Greg Biffle (184.970 mph) and Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan (184.470 mph).

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Elliott Sadler and five-time LMS winner Jimmie Johnson will start from positions six through 10, respectively.

The pole was Busch's second of the year for a Cup points race and the fourth of his career, and it followed a practice session that didn't please the driver of the No. 18 Toyota (speeds).

"I wasn't particularly happy with the car in practice, but [crew chief] Steve Addington and the crew made some changes to the car," said Busch, who fell out of the All-Star Race at the halfway point after his engine failed.

"We made some strategic moves. I talked to Steve after practice about making some adjustments to the car. I'm not sure exactly what he did."

Whatever it did, it gave Busch just enough of an edge to dislodge Kahne, who was happy to build on his success at LMS.

"The car was good," Kahne said. "We went out early, and the track felt really good. I was really happy with the lap. I knew Brian and Kyle were going to be fast, but I was glad it stayed up there."

Currently 18th in owner points, Vickers is locked into the starting field and free from the worry of having to qualify on speed, as he had to do during last year's debut of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota team.

"This week we had confidence in our race package and we spent the whole first practice in qualifying trim, and it paid off," Vickers said. "We're pretty happy with [our starting position], and hopefully, we can take advantage of it over 600 miles."

Though the Coca-Cola 600 is the closest thing to a marathon in Sprint Cup racing, Busch doesn't expect to see much attrition from Sunday's race.

A lot of that has to do with the durability of NASCAR's new racecar, which will get its fourth test of the season in a points race on a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway.

Fast facts
What Coca-Cola 600
When Green, 5:48 p.m. ET Sunday
TV FOX, 5 p.m. ET
Radio PRN (Sirius Ch. 28), 5:30 ET

"I think it made 500 miles pretty much everywhere," Busch said of the new car. "Not a lot of guys fall out of the race. The cars are built pretty well. The guys that work on the cars in the shop and build the cars and stuff do a great job. ... I don't foresee a whole lot of people falling out of the race, a lot of attrition."

Johnson, who called Lowe's Motor Speedway his "house" after winning five times in his first nine starts there, is ready to return to Victory Lane after a four-race drought at the track that carries his sponsor's name.

"We've learned a lot, really, over the last two weeks," Johnson said. "We learned a lot at Darlington that carried over to the All-Star Race [in which Johnson finished fourth]. We need to get some more rear grip with the car, and I feel that we know how to do that now after the All-Star Race.

"We're excited, and I wouldn't put your money anywhere else. I think this 48 car, especially in a 600-mile race at this track -- we'll be able to figure it out one way or another, and we'll be there and be a contender at the end."

Jeff Green, Stanton Barrett, Jon Wood, Joe Nemechek and Tony Raines failed to qualify for Sunday's race.

Notes: Subbing for the injured Dario Franchitti in the No. 40 Ganassi Racing Dodge, Sterling Marlin (183.057 mph) was second-fastest among drivers required to qualify on speed. On Sunday, Marlin will make his 54th start at Lowe's Motor Speedway. ... Jeremy Mayfield, back from a 12-day tour of U.S. military installations in Iraq, will drive the No. 40 Ganassi Racing Dodge at Dover. ... Juan Montoya (179.521 mph), working with new crew chief Brian Pattie for the first time, was slowest among the cars already locked into the field. He'll start 42nd on Sunday. Montoya reportedly lobbied to keep replaced crew chief Jimmy Elledge. ... Interim crew chief Kevin Buskirk replaces departed Doug Richert on the No. 01 DEI Chevrolet driven by Regan Smith. Smith will start 37th on Sunday.