Busch Pleased With Pocono Qualifying Effort
August 6, 2011
LONG POND, Pa. (Aug. 6, 2011) – Shell-Pennzoil Dodge driver Kurt Busch will start Sunday’s Good Sam Insurance 500 here at Pocono Raceway from the fifth spot after turning in a lap of 52.488 seconds (171.468 mph) in today’s qualifying session. It will mark the 10th time that Busch has started in the top-five in 22 races here on the “Tricky Triangle.”
“It was a decent qualifying effort,” offered Busch, who was second-fastest in yesterday’s first practice which placed him next-to-last in today’s qualifying order. “I told Steve (Addington, crew chief) we could really be scratching our heads if we were back 25th or so. To be fifth, that’s a great start. We’ll get a good pit box selection.
“In race trim, we’ve been struggling,” said Busch, who won the pole and finished second in the June race here. “This car (new PRS-758) has been tight with us all weekend. We’re going to jump out of our setup and go to Brad Keselowski’s (Penske Racing teammate) setup. He went through a rough wreck earlier this week (in a test at Road Atlanta); it’s great to see him in the car, pushing hard. These young kids, they’re made like rubber bands, they can bounce back from anything. So we’re going to have to go to his setup to get our car freed up enough to try and win this bad boy on Sunday.”
Joey Logano won the Coors Light Pole Award here today with a fast lap of 52.309 seconds (172.055 mph). Kasey Kahne earned the second starting spot with his lap of 52.433 seconds (171.648 mph). Martin Truex Jr. took the third starting spot (with a lap of 52.480 seconds/171.494 mph), with Carl Edwards grabbing the fourth spot (lap of 52.486 seconds/171.474 mph). Denny Hamlin, Paul Menard, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick rounded out today’s top-10 qualifiers.
Keselowski will start Sunday’s race from the 13th position after clocking in with a lap of 52.739 seconds (170.652 mph) in his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger.
Sunday’s Good Sam Insurance 500 (200 laps, 500 miles) is set for a 1:00 p.m. EDT start with live coverage being provided by ESPN-TV and MRN Radio.
“It was a decent qualifying effort,” offered Busch, who was second-fastest in yesterday’s first practice which placed him next-to-last in today’s qualifying order. “I told Steve (Addington, crew chief) we could really be scratching our heads if we were back 25th or so. To be fifth, that’s a great start. We’ll get a good pit box selection.
“In race trim, we’ve been struggling,” said Busch, who won the pole and finished second in the June race here. “This car (new PRS-758) has been tight with us all weekend. We’re going to jump out of our setup and go to Brad Keselowski’s (Penske Racing teammate) setup. He went through a rough wreck earlier this week (in a test at Road Atlanta); it’s great to see him in the car, pushing hard. These young kids, they’re made like rubber bands, they can bounce back from anything. So we’re going to have to go to his setup to get our car freed up enough to try and win this bad boy on Sunday.”
Joey Logano won the Coors Light Pole Award here today with a fast lap of 52.309 seconds (172.055 mph). Kasey Kahne earned the second starting spot with his lap of 52.433 seconds (171.648 mph). Martin Truex Jr. took the third starting spot (with a lap of 52.480 seconds/171.494 mph), with Carl Edwards grabbing the fourth spot (lap of 52.486 seconds/171.474 mph). Denny Hamlin, Paul Menard, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick rounded out today’s top-10 qualifiers.
Keselowski will start Sunday’s race from the 13th position after clocking in with a lap of 52.739 seconds (170.652 mph) in his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger.
Sunday’s Good Sam Insurance 500 (200 laps, 500 miles) is set for a 1:00 p.m. EDT start with live coverage being provided by ESPN-TV and MRN Radio.