Kyle Busch takes pole double
Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch claimed pole position for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events at Richmond International Raceway
Busch set a fastest lap of 21.25 seconds at an average speed of 127.077 mph, having set the benchmark earlier in qualifying for NASCAR's second-tier series event, which runs on Friday night.
The 24-year-old had set the pace in the final practice of the day and after posting his best effort in his second qualifying lap nobody was able to get near his time.
"I'm real proud to be able put the Camry on pole for the first time for [crew chief] Dave [Rogers] and for me, as I don't win that very many poles," said Busch after claiming his first pole of the season. "I look forward to tomorrow. We've got a pretty good racecar and I know there's a couple of guys behind us that will be very good too, so we'll just try to hold them off."
David Reutimann had been on provisional pole before Busch and ended up second fastest, which is his best starting spot of the year thus far.
Hendrick Motorsports team-mates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon will see the green flag wave from the second row of the grid after settling their most recent feud from last week at Talladega.
"The 48 [Johnson] didn't have a great day but qualified real well, same old thing," said Gordon. "They're gonna be tough all night and we'll have a lot of fun racing with them like we have been. Hopefully it's us battling for the win."
Stewart Haas' Ryan Newman rounded out the top five, while Penske's Brad Keselowski will start beside him after being the fastest Dodge in qualifying trim. AJ Allmendinger brushed the wall in practice but came back in qualifying to be the fastest Ford, placing his #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Fusion 15th.
Joe Nemechek was the quickest among the non-guaranteed drivers in 11th, while Michael McDowell, Max Papis and Dave Blaney failed to qualify.
Pos Driver Car Speed Time Gap 1. Kyle Busch Toyota 127.077 21.247s 2. David Reutimann Toyota 126.618 21.324s + 0.077s 3. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 126.464 21.350s + 0.103s 4. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 126.375 21.365s + 0.118s 5. Ryan Newman Chevrolet 126.245 21.387s + 0.140s 6. Brad Keselowski Dodge 126.239 21.388s + 0.141s 7. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 126.133 21.406s + 0.159s 8. Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 126.121 21.408s + 0.161s 9. Brian Vickers Toyota 126.109 21.410s + 0.163s 10. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 126.015 21.426s + 0.179s 11. Joe Nemechek Toyota 125.874 21.450s + 0.203s 12. Scott Speed Toyota 125.868 21.451s + 0.204s 13. Casey Mears Chevrolet 125.845 21.455s + 0.208s 14. Mark Martin Chevrolet 125.839 21.456s + 0.209s 15. AJ Allmendinger Ford 125.792 21.464s + 0.217s 16. Kurt Busch Dodge 125.769 21.468s + 0.221s 17. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 125.728 21.475s + 0.228s 18. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 125.698 21.480s + 0.233s 19. Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet 125.657 21.487s + 0.240s 20. Marcos Ambrose Toyota 125.640 21.490s + 0.243s 21. Matt Kenseth Ford 125.558 21.504s + 0.257s 22. Kasey Kahne Ford 125.447 21.523s + 0.276s 23. Joey Logano Toyota 125.389 21.533s + 0.286s 24. Elliott Sadler Ford 125.354 21.539s + 0.292s 25. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 125.337 21.542s + 0.295s 26. Martin Truex Jr Toyota 125.302 21.548s + 0.301s 27. Sam Hornish Jr Dodge 125.278 21.552s + 0.305s 28. Carl Edwards Ford 125.238 21.559s + 0.312s 29. Regan Smith Chevrolet 125.203 21.565s + 0.318s 30. Denny Hamlin Toyota 125.116 21.580s + 0.333s 31. Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 125.093 21.584s + 0.337s 32. Paul Menard Ford 125.052 21.591s + 0.344s 33. Greg Biffle Ford 124.960 21.607s + 0.360s 34. Reed Sorenson Toyota 124.798 21.635s + 0.388s 35. David Ragan Ford 124.683 21.655s + 0.408s 36. Mike Bliss Chevrolet 124.636 21.663s + 0.416s 37. Robby Gordon Toyota 124.602 21.669s + 0.422s 38. Travis Kvapil Ford 124.229 21.734s + 0.487s 39. David Stremme Ford 124.224 21.735s + 0.488s 40. David Gilliland Ford 124.149 21.748s + 0.501s 41. Terry Cook Dodge 124.098 21.757s + 0.510s 42. Kevin Conway Ford 121.507 22.221s + 0.974s 43. Tony Raines Toyota 123.927 21.787s + 0.540s Did not qualify: Michael McDowell Toyota 123.836 21.803 + 0.556s Max Papis Toyota 123.683 21.830s + 0.583s Dave Blaney Toyota 123.587 21.847s + 0.600s
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