Busch knocks Gordon off pole for All-Star race

With the pole Kyle Busch remains on a roll

Rhonda McCole/AutoRacing1

Kyle Busch’s winning streak continued Friday night as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader captured the pole for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Busch’s speed of 132.835 mph in the two-lap, four-tire pit stop format was enough to knock Jeff Gordon off the pole, giving Busch his first pole in just his third start in NASCAR’s All-Star event.

Gordon held onto second spot, followed by Kurt Busch, Martin Truex, Jr. and Greg Biffle.

“My team did such an awesome job," said Busch. “They gave me a great car that ran three laps and they gave me a great pit stop. They were solid on pit road and that’s what you need in this kind of deal.

“I was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in a race car getting ready to go out there for qualifying here today. Not really knowing what to expect, knowing that we had a great race car, knowing that if we didn’t hit our marks and do everything right – myself, the crew, the car. I thought I got caught speeding there. Fortunately for me, I thought I messed up, but I came out of it okay in the end."

Busch’s All-Star pole was his second of the day after capturing the top spot for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race to be run Friday night following all star qualifying.

Busch has been the driver on the hottest streak this season, winning three races so far this season, including last weekend’s dominating victory at Darlington.

Kyle Busch's crew services his car

Rhonda McCole/AutoRacing1

Busch has also been NASCAR’s least popular driver, drawing the ire of fans for his on-track incidents as well as his mocking behavior towards the fans.

None of that mattered after Friday’s qualifying, as Busch’s sights were set on winning the truck series race and winning the All-Star to try for a weekend sweep.

“Momentum is everything in this sport. When you feel like everything is on your side, it keeps going that way," said Busch. “We are out there to do our best, to perform at our maximum, and whatever that gives us on a given day, we get, and so far today it was obviously the top spot for tomorrow’s race."

Denny Hamlin proved the only drama among the 21 qualifiers. After his car refused to fire up, Hamlin finally got underway but spun out trying to slow down to pit road speed for his pit stop.

Elliott Sadler won the pole for the Sprint Showdown, a two-segment, 40-lap race which will be held prior to the All-Star race on Saturday. Brian Vickers, David Ragan, A.J. Allmendinger and Robby Gordon made up the rest of the top five finishers.

The top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown will advance to the All-Star race along with a driver voted in by the fans to complete the 24-car field.

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