Busch sets up showdown

Busch was the last of 56 drivers to go against the clock and lapped the 1.5-mile banked oval in 30.114s (179.319mph).

Busch leads Jimmie Johnson by 18 points in a five-man play-off, with Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin also in contention.

Busch, a three-time winner this season, would have been fourth in the standings under the season-long championship system used until this year. But this year, the top 10 drivers were levelled off with 10 races to go, and Busch, by winning at New Hampshire, took over the lead.

Johnson, who vaulted back into contention with four wins in the past five races, qualified poorly and took his first provisional spot of the season. Johnson's speed was more than 4mph slower than Busch's.

"The car was really, really loose," Johnson said curtly.

Busch's team-mate Greg Biffle was second fastest in an unusual display of qualifying strength by Roush Racing, with Martin checking in 11th. Biffle ran a 30.116s lap, a fraction off Busch's top mark.

Ryan Newman was third, with Kasey Kahne fourth and Gordon fifth. Earnhardt will start 16th.

"Is this Friday?" Busch joked. "I never knew we could do things like this on Friday. I'm somewhat puzzled at how we were able to do so well, just a great balanced race car."

The long entry list, and some surprises among the timings, created mayhem at the back. Among the part-timers making the grid were Travis Kvapil, Boris Said, Greg Sacks, Martin Truex and Kenny Wallace. That bumped regulars Johnson, Jeff Burton, Ken Schrader, Terry Labonte and Casey Mears (who wrecked in the trials) into the provisional hopper.

Further, the shuffle knocked Kyle Petty out of the show. Provisionals are determined by owner points, and Petty does not have sufficient points to rank on the list. Petty's time was 0.046s out of the list of timed starters.

Busch won this race from the pole in 2002, before it was reconfigured to its current, progressive-banked shape.