Kurt Busch Starting Third In Sunday's Infineon Battle
June 18, 2010
SONOMA, Calif. (June 18, 2010) – Miller Lite “Vortex” Dodge driver Kurt Busch will start Sunday’s road course battle here at Infineon Raceway from the third position after his Steve Addington-led Penske Racing Team posted an incredible pickup in speed from practice. Busch’s official qualifying lap of 76.556 seconds (93.579 mph) was a gain of 0.991 seconds from his fastest lap turned during the 90-minute practice session leading up to the time trial session.
"It was a great qualifying lap for our Miller Lite Dodge,” said Busch, who was only 20th on the practice speed chart with his lap of 77.375 seconds (91.067 mph). “We were slipping around too much earlier today and couldn't get the car underneath me. The Miller Lite guys made some great adjustments between practice and qualifying which really helped the car with forward bite. I didn't think that we were pole material; we were just shooting for a top-10 starting spot and nailed it.
“I think that the best thing that helped us was that we went out for our second qualifying run (during practice) and learned what not to do,” said Busch, who has now qualified in the top-10 in seven of his 10 races here at Infineon, yet is still looking for his first career road course victory. “We were thrashing pretty hard to make sure that we got back out for that second qualifying run. We spent most of our day in race trim just fighting the car trying to find grip - whether it was turn-in or corner exit or right hander or left hander. With Steve (Addington, crew chief) and my guys, it just seems like when you find a good rhythm and when you’re looking at somebody and know what they’re thinking without even saying something (you) make good adjustments. I feel that’s where our team is really doing well right now…making good adjustments and making the Miller Lite Dodge a little better.”
Kasey Kahne, who was fourth fastest in practice, clocked in with a lap of 76.300 seconds (93.893 mph) to take the pole for Sunday’s race. He went out four spots later than did Jimmie Johnson and knocked the four-time and defending Sprint Cup champion off the top spot. Johnson will start second after turning in a lap of 76.368 seconds (93.809 mph). Kevin Harvick (76.665 seconds/93.446 mph) will start fourth and Jeff Gordon (76.690 seconds/93.15 mph) will start fifth. Marcos Ambrose, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. round out Sunday’s top-10 starters.
Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski (77.910 seconds/91.952 mph) will start 36th, while Sam Hornish Jr. (78.312 seconds/01.480 mph) will start 40th.
Saturday’s schedule here at Infineon Raceway calls for practice from 9:30 a.m. till 10:15 a.m. (live on Speed-TV) and from 10:45 a.m. till 11:50 a.m. (live on Speed-TV). Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 (110 laps) on the 1.99-mile scenic road course is scheduled to get the green flag at approximately 12:00 p.m. PDT. Race No. 16 of 36 points-paying events on the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule will feature live coverage by TNT-TV and PRN Radio.
