bigbadbrother
07-23-2016, 11:32 PM
Joe Menzer
Kyle Busch will start on the pole for this Sunday's Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard after being fastest in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
But Indiana native Tony Stewart will not start far behind in his quest to claim a third Cup victory in his final start at his home track. Stewart, who is retiring as a Sprint Cup driver at the end of this season, will roll off the grid third in Sunday's race after a stout three-round group qualifying effort of his own.
"I was happy with all three rounds, to be honest," Stewart said afterward. "(Friday) the two runs we made (in qualifying rim during practice), we didn't even finish a lap really. We bailed out on the first attempt and the second attempt was terrible.
"My crew chief (Mike Bugarewicz) did an awesome job. Mike did a great job of making changes over night for qualifying, and it showed today. I just wish I could do Lap 3 one more time and not clip the apron in (Turn) 4. I think we could have been on the pole."
Stewart will line up on the inside of the second row, behind Busch and second-fastest qualifier Carl Edwards, who will share the front row.
Busch's turned his pole-winning lap at 184.634 miles per hour, with Edwards (184.547 mph), Stewart (184.328 mph), Denny Hamlin (184.079 mph) and Brad Keselowski (183.591 mph) rounding out the top five.
It was the second pole claimed by Busch in a matter of hours, after he won the XFINITY Series pole earlier on Saturday. He's also the defending race winner at Indy.
"It means a lot," Busch said. "It’s definitely pretty special to be running the way that we’re running and to have the success that we’ve had here the last couple of years at Indy. I’d love nothing more than to try to win here again.”
Jeff Gordon, who is subbing as driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr., did not fare as well. Gordon will start 21st in Sunday’s Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard after failing to make it into the final round of qualifying.
"It was a nice lap we put out there the first time," said Gordon, who retired as a full-time Sprint Cup driver at the end of last season and is filling in while Earnhardt recovers from concussion-like symptoms. "We hit all four corners like I was anticipating.
"We were just a little bit tight, so we wanted to free the car up. When we went out that second time, unfortunately it just freed me up in the wrong areas. I got in the corner and I was real loose getting in. Once I lost all the momentum in turn one, the whole lap was kind of over. It is disappointing because I felt pretty good about it."
Jimmie Johnson was fastest in Round 1 of the group three-round qualifying session, but did not advance out of Round 2 and will start 13th in Sunday’s race.
The top-five fastest times in Round 1 were posted by Johnson, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Austin Dillon.
Among those who did not advance out of Round 1 was Kasey Kahne, which was an omen of things to come for Hendrick Motorsports.
Kyle Busch was fastest in Round 2, followed by Stewart, Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski.
Joining Johnson and Kahne on the sidelines after the first two rounds were fellow Hendrick drivers Chase Elliott and Gordon. Elliott will start 15th on Sunday.
For a look at Sunday's complete starting linup as set by Saturday's qualifying, see below.
http://a.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/nascar/images/2016/07/22/072316-nascar-Starting-Lineup.vadapt.664.high.72.jpg
Kyle Busch will start on the pole for this Sunday's Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard after being fastest in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
But Indiana native Tony Stewart will not start far behind in his quest to claim a third Cup victory in his final start at his home track. Stewart, who is retiring as a Sprint Cup driver at the end of this season, will roll off the grid third in Sunday's race after a stout three-round group qualifying effort of his own.
"I was happy with all three rounds, to be honest," Stewart said afterward. "(Friday) the two runs we made (in qualifying rim during practice), we didn't even finish a lap really. We bailed out on the first attempt and the second attempt was terrible.
"My crew chief (Mike Bugarewicz) did an awesome job. Mike did a great job of making changes over night for qualifying, and it showed today. I just wish I could do Lap 3 one more time and not clip the apron in (Turn) 4. I think we could have been on the pole."
Stewart will line up on the inside of the second row, behind Busch and second-fastest qualifier Carl Edwards, who will share the front row.
Busch's turned his pole-winning lap at 184.634 miles per hour, with Edwards (184.547 mph), Stewart (184.328 mph), Denny Hamlin (184.079 mph) and Brad Keselowski (183.591 mph) rounding out the top five.
It was the second pole claimed by Busch in a matter of hours, after he won the XFINITY Series pole earlier on Saturday. He's also the defending race winner at Indy.
"It means a lot," Busch said. "It’s definitely pretty special to be running the way that we’re running and to have the success that we’ve had here the last couple of years at Indy. I’d love nothing more than to try to win here again.”
Jeff Gordon, who is subbing as driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr., did not fare as well. Gordon will start 21st in Sunday’s Crown Royal 400 at the Brickyard after failing to make it into the final round of qualifying.
"It was a nice lap we put out there the first time," said Gordon, who retired as a full-time Sprint Cup driver at the end of last season and is filling in while Earnhardt recovers from concussion-like symptoms. "We hit all four corners like I was anticipating.
"We were just a little bit tight, so we wanted to free the car up. When we went out that second time, unfortunately it just freed me up in the wrong areas. I got in the corner and I was real loose getting in. Once I lost all the momentum in turn one, the whole lap was kind of over. It is disappointing because I felt pretty good about it."
Jimmie Johnson was fastest in Round 1 of the group three-round qualifying session, but did not advance out of Round 2 and will start 13th in Sunday’s race.
The top-five fastest times in Round 1 were posted by Johnson, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Austin Dillon.
Among those who did not advance out of Round 1 was Kasey Kahne, which was an omen of things to come for Hendrick Motorsports.
Kyle Busch was fastest in Round 2, followed by Stewart, Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski.
Joining Johnson and Kahne on the sidelines after the first two rounds were fellow Hendrick drivers Chase Elliott and Gordon. Elliott will start 15th on Sunday.
For a look at Sunday's complete starting linup as set by Saturday's qualifying, see below.
http://a.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/nascar/images/2016/07/22/072316-nascar-Starting-Lineup.vadapt.664.high.72.jpg