Kurt Busch on pole in California
Former Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch took his first pole position in well over a year, setting the fastest lap in qualifying ahead of Sunday's Auto Club 500 in California
This is Busch's fourth Nextel Cup pole and his first with the Penske Racing team, which he joined this season. Busch was last on pole in the final round of 2004 at Homestead.
"Today's Friday and I'm fast," Busch said after qualifying. "I don't know what to say; usually, I'm 15th or so... I'm happy that we got a pole. That puts us in next year's Bud Shootout, which we missed this year.
"This is a great way to start with a new group of guys. Our car was fast today and hopefully it will still be fast on Sunday."
Busch lapped the two-mile speedway in 38.485 seconds - almost two tenths of a second faster than former Roush Racing teammate Greg Biffle, who ended in second place.
Biffle won the Auto Club 500 last year and finished the September race in California in second place.
Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson was third fastest, with a time of 38.765 seconds.
Johnson is again racing this weekend without his crew chief Chad Knaus, after the latter was banned by NASCAR officials for an additional three races, having made illegal modifications to Johnson's car in the Daytona 500 qualifying.
"I'm very proud of what the team has done today," Johnson said. "We've been through a lot. This past week has been quite an experience. But winning (the Daytona 500) was the highlight of my career and hopefully I can experience it again some day."
Rookies JJ Yeley and Denny Hamlin were fourth and fifth fastest in today's qualifying, followed by Daytona 500 pole-sitter Jeff Burton.
Seventh fastest was Kurt Busch's younger brother Kyle, followed by three-time California winner Joe Nemechek. Veterans Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin complete the top ten.
Pos Driver Make Speed Time 1. Kurt Busch Dodge 187.086 38.485 2. Greg Biffle Ford 186.186 38.671 + 0.186 3. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 185.735 38.765 + 0.280 4. J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 185.180 38.881 + 0.396 5. Denny Hamlin Chevrolet 184.919 38.936 + 0.451 6. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 184.871 38.946 + 0.461 7. Kyle Busch Chevrolet 184.800 38.961 + 0.476 8. Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 184.758 38.970 + 0.485 9. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 184.720 38.978 + 0.493 10. Mark Martin Ford 184.450 39.035 + 0.550 11. Ryan Newman Dodge 184.318 39.063 + 0.578 12. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 184.303 39.066 + 0.581 13. Kasey Kahne Dodge 184.219 39.084 + 0.599 14. Scott Riggs Dodge 184.209 39.086 + 0.601 15. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 184.195 39.089 + 0.604 16. Elliott Sadler Ford 183.767 39.180 + 0.695 17. Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 183.613 39.213 + 0.728 18. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 183.570 39.222 + 0.737 19. Dale Jarrett Ford 183.566 39.223 + 0.738 20. Casey Mears Dodge 183.524 39.232 + 0.747 21. Jeremy Mayfield Dodge 183.397 39.259 + 0.774 22. Carl Edwards Ford 183.360 39.267 + 0.782 23. Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 183.173 39.307 + 0.822 24. Dave Blaney Dodge 183.155 39.311 + 0.826 25. Jamie McMurray Ford 183.090 39.325 + 0.840 26. Jeff Green Chevrolet 183.020 39.340 + 0.855 27. Bobby Labonte Dodge 183.020 39.340 + 0.855 28. Brian Vickers Chevrolet 182.913 39.363 + 0.878 29. Reed Sorenson Dodge 182.820 39.383 + 0.898 30. Stanton Barrett Chevrolet 182.801 39.387 + 0.902 31. Matt Kenseth Ford 182.588 39.433 + 0.948 32. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 182.486 39.455 + 0.970 33. Michael Waltrip Dodge 182.454 39.462 + 0.977 34. Robby Gordon Chevrolet 182.380 39.478 + 0.993 35. Mike Garvey Chevrolet 182.320 39.491 + 1.006 36. Kenny Wallace Chevrolet 182.306 39.494 + 1.009 37. Kevin Lepage Ford 182.242 39.508 + 1.023 38. Scott Wimmer Chevrolet 182.007 39.559 + 1.074 39. Kyle Petty Dodge 181.461 39.678 + 1.193 40. David Stremme Dodge 181.005 39.778 + 1.293 41. Ken Schrader* Ford 179.341 40.147 + 1.662 42. Brent Sherman* Dodge 178.169 40.411 + 1.926 43. Terry Labonte Chevrolet 181.059 39.766 + 1.281 * Position set by owner points
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