Kurt Busch Wins 25th Career Pole at Loudon

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LOUDON, NH - RIS -Kurt Busch put everything he had in his third round of qualifying, and he ended up as the fastest qualifier on Friday.  It was Busch’s third pole in 2018 and the 25th of his career.  His Stewart-Haas racing Ford Fusion was fast in the first two rounds, but was best in the final round. He turned a lap of 133.591 mph.

Busch is still looking for his first win of the season, but with three top-fives and 10 top-10s, he has been in the running all year long. Friday's qualifying was just another example of how well he has been driving.

"I like the way we made the right changes through each of the rounds and we stuck to a game plan," Busch told NBCSN. "That's exactly what you hope to have each time you go to qualifying."\

Martin Truex Jr., who is coming off of his second consecutive win at Kentucky, will start second Sunday.

"I just missed Turn 1 just slightly there in that last run on the first lap, but overall it was a solid day," Truex said. "We had a decent practice — a short practice, you know, because we waited a little bit for the VHT (traction compound) to kind of get run in, and we went out there and ran and were probably a little bit off further on balance more than we needed to be at the end of practice.

"So, we made some changes for qualifying, and the guys did a good job of getting it right and we were close. So (a) couple thousandths, a few inches here or there in a different spot on the race track and might have been able to make it up, but a solid effort for us, and we can go get them on Sunday from second."

Kyle Busch, who has five wins this season, will start third.

Last year, Kyle Busch won from the pole for the first time since Ryan Newman did so in the July 2011.This is Busch’s first pole at New Hampshire, but he has started on the front row twice before – most recently in 2013. He finished 31st in that race and was 21st after starting second in 2007.\

Driver Date Time Speed
Track Qualifying Record: Brad Keselowski 09/21/14 27.09 140.598
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 3
1 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford 28.511 133.591 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 78 Martin Truex Jr. 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota 28.530 133.502 1 2 0.019 0.019
3 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 28.545 133.431 1 2 0.034 0.015
4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 28.560 133.361 1 2 0.049 0.015
5 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Sylvania Ford 28.698 132.720 2 2 0.187 0.138
6 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 28.699 132.715 1 2 0.188 0.001
7 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 28.708 132.674 1 1 0.197 0.009
8 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 28.720 132.618 2 2 0.209 0.012
9 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 28.728 132.581 1 2 0.217 0.008
10 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 28.754 132.462 1 2 0.243 0.026
11 24 William Byron # AXALTA Chevrolet 28.771 132.383 1 2 0.260 0.017
12 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 28.813 132.190 1 1 0.302 0.042
Qualifying Round: 2
1 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 28.497 133.656 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 28.521 133.544 2 2 0.024 0.024
3 78 Martin Truex Jr. 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota 28.543 133.441 1 1 0.046 0.022
4 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 28.555 133.385 1 1 0.058 0.012
5 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 28.579 133.273 1 2 0.082 0.024
6 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford 28.590 133.221 1 1 0.093 0.011
7 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Sylvania Ford 28.593 133.207 1 1 0.096 0.003
8 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 28.667 132.864 1 1 0.170 0.074
9 24 William Byron # AXALTA Chevrolet 28.672 132.840 1 2 0.175 0.005
10 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 28.705 132.688 1 1 0.208 0.033
11 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 28.718 132.628 3 3 0.221 0.013
12 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 28.721 132.614 1 2 0.224 0.003
13 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 28.727 132.586 4 4 0.230 0.006
14 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford 28.734 132.554 1 2 0.237 0.007
15 14 Clint Bowyer Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford 28.767 132.402 1 2 0.270 0.033
16 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 28.772 132.379 1 1 0.275 0.005
17 3 Austin Dillon Dow Chevrolet 28.798 132.259 1 2 0.301 0.026
18 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet 28.811 132.200 1 2 0.314 0.013
19 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 28.834 132.094 2 2 0.337 0.023
20 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 28.846 132.039 2 5 0.349 0.012
21 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's for Pros Chevrolet 28.871 131.925 1 2 0.374 0.025
22 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet 28.912 131.738 1 2 0.415 0.041
23 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 28.976 131.447 2 2 0.479 0.064
24 37 Chris Buescher Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 29.022 131.238 1 1 0.525 0.046
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Lap # # Laps -Fastest -Next
Qualifying Round: 1
1 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 28.613 133.114 1 1 0.000 0.000
2 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 28.623 133.068 2 2 0.010 0.010
3 24 William Byron # AXALTA Chevrolet 28.674 132.831 1 1 0.061 0.051
4 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford 28.677 132.817 1 1 0.064 0.003
5 78 Martin Truex Jr. 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota 28.685 132.780 1 1 0.072 0.008
6 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 28.699 132.715 2 2 0.086 0.014
7 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 28.712 132.655 2 2 0.099 0.013
8 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford 28.736 132.545 1 1 0.123 0.024
9 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 28.745 132.503 1 1 0.132 0.009
10 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Sylvania Ford 28.746 132.498 1 1 0.133 0.001
11 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 28.750 132.480 1 1 0.137 0.004
12 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 28.759 132.439 1 1 0.146 0.009
13 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 28.815 132.181 1 1 0.202 0.056
14 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 28.855 131.998 1 1 0.242 0.040
15 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 28.859 131.980 1 1 0.246 0.004
16 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet 28.861 131.970 2 2 0.248 0.002
17 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 28.880 131.884 2 2 0.267 0.019
18 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet 28.888 131.847 2 2 0.275 0.008
19 14 Clint Bowyer Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford 28.930 131.656 1 2 0.317 0.042
20 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's for Pros Chevrolet 28.932 131.647 2 3 0.319 0.002
21 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 28.942 131.601 1 2 0.329 0.010
22 3 Austin Dillon Dow Chevrolet 28.971 131.469 1 3 0.358 0.029
23 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 29.013 131.279 2 2 0.400 0.042
24 37 Chris Buescher Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 29.013 131.279 1 2 0.400 0.000
25 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet 29.020 131.247 2 2 0.407 0.007
26 95 Kasey Kahne Thorne Wellness Chevrolet 29.085 130.954 1 2 0.472 0.065
27 43 Bubba Wallace # Medallion Bank/Petty's Garage Chevrolet 29.106 130.860 1 5 0.493 0.021
28 32 Matt DiBenedetto Weirs Motor Sales Inc. Ford 29.123 130.783 1 2 0.510 0.017
29 34 Michael McDowell Starkey Hearing Foundation Ford 29.171 130.568 1 5 0.558 0.048
30 38 David Ragan Performance Plus Ford 29.179 130.532 2 5 0.566 0.008
31 6 Matt Kenseth Constantine Sealing Service Ford 29.190 130.483 2 2 0.577 0.011
32 15 Ross Chastain(i) Chevrolet 29.477 129.213 2 3 0.864 0.287
33 72 Corey LaJoie Monarch Chevrolet 29.491 129.151 1 4 0.878 0.014
34 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Fiber Chevrolet 29.495 129.134 1 2 0.882 0.004
35 * 99 Kyle Weatherman StarCom Fiber Chevrolet 29.855 127.577 2 3 1.242 0.360
36 51 BJ McLeod(i) Jacob Companies Chevrolet 29.860 127.555 2 2 1.247 0.005
37 23 Blake Jones Tennessee Shine Co./KBM Comm. Prop. Toyota 30.579 12

Starting Line Up by Row
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
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Driver Date Time Speed
Track Race Record: Jeff Burton 07/13/97 02:42:35 117.134
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
Row 1: 1 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford 28.511 133.591
2 78 Martin Truex Jr. 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota 28.530 133.502
Row 2: 3 18 Kyle Busch Interstate Batteries Toyota 28.545 133.431
4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 28.560 133.361
Row 3: 5 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Sylvania Ford 28.698 132.720
6 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 28.699 132.715
Row 4: 7 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 28.708 132.674
8 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet 28.720 132.618
Row 5: 9 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota 28.728 132.581
10 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 28.754 132.462
Row 6: 11 24 William Byron # AXALTA Chevrolet 28.771 132.383
12 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 28.813 132.190
Row 7: 13 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 28.727 132.586
14 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford 28.734 132.554
Row 8: 15 14 Clint Bowyer Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford 28.767 132.402
16 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 28.772 132.379
Row 9: 17 3 Austin Dillon Dow Chevrolet 28.798 132.259
18 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet 28.811 132.200
Row 10: 19 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 28.834 132.094
20 42 Kyle Larson Credit One Bank Chevrolet 28.846 132.039
Row 11: 21 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's for Pros Chevrolet 28.871 131.925
22 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet 28.912 131.738
Row 12: 23 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 28.976 131.447
24 37 Chris Buescher Kroger ClickList Chevrolet 29.022 131.238
Row 13: 25 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet 29.020 131.247
26 95 Kasey Kahne Thorne Wellness Chevrolet 29.085 130.954
Row 14: 27 43 Bubba Wallace # Medallion Bank/Petty's Garage Chevrolet 29.106 130.860
28 32 Matt DiBenedetto Weirs Motor Sales Inc. Ford 29.123 130.783
Row 15: 29 34 Michael McDowell Starkey Hearing Foundation Ford 29.171 130.568
30 38 David Ragan Performance Plus Ford 29.179 130.532
Row 16: 31 6 Matt Kenseth Constantine Sealing Service Ford 29.190 130.483
32 15 Ross Chastain(i) Chevrolet 29.477 129.213
Row 17: 33 72 Corey LaJoie Monarch Chevrolet 29.491 129.151
34 00 Landon Cassill StarCom Fiber Chevrolet 29.495 129.134
Row 18: 35 99 Kyle Weatherman StarCom Fiber Chevrolet 29.855 127.577
36 51 BJ McLeod(i) Jacob Companies Chevrolet 29.860 127.555
Row 19: 37 23 Blake Jones Tennessee Shine Co./KBM Comm. Prop. 30.579 124.556
Did Not Qualify: None.
Manufacturer Starting Lineup DNQs Manufacturer Starting Lineup DNQs
Chevrolet 18 0 Toyota 6 0
Ford 13 0
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Ron Fleshman

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2018, Issue 6, Posted 8:35 PM, 07.20.2018