Kyle Busch puts Toyota on top again

Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch captured his second consecutive pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday, but will have to start at the rear of the field after the No. 18 JGR M&M's Toyota team changed engines prior to Friday's qualifying session. Kyle's Brother, Kurt, qualified second in the Penske Miller Lite Dodge.

Busch recorded a new track record with a lap of 185.995 mph, his 13th career pole. His day started bad he blew the engine in his Toyota just four laps into the first practice session. He will now have to drop to the back during the initial pace laps of Sunday's Shelby 427 and Jimmie Johnson, who qualified 3rd, will slot up into the front row.

Kyle's brother, Kurt, qualified second and will roll off next to him during that first pace lap to make it an all Busch front row, for the first time, in front of the hometown fans.

Kyle Busch waits to blow away the competition in qualifying
Toyota

"We had a great adjustment that we made on the Miller Lite Dodge after practice to pick up the speed that we did, so it felt really good," Busch said. "We tried to get the pole, but came up a bit short. It’s better than where we have been."

The Busches are from Las Vegas, so it's possible the grid was computer generated to increase ticket sales. These coincidences happen quite often in NASCAR.

Three-time Las Vegas winner Jimmie Johnson, who qualified third, will now inherit the pole for the race that was extended this year from 400 miles to 427.5 miles.

David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose rounded out the top five. For Ambrose, it was his career-best qualifying effort in 14 starts.

Matt Kenseth will have to come from the back of the field in his attempt to make NASCAR history by scoring his third consecutive win. He will start 40th after turning a lap of 182.143 mph in qualifying.

Italian Max Papis qualified for his first oval race in the Sprint Cup series, setting the 26th fastest time.

Twelve drivers broke Kasey Kahne’s March 9, 2007 qualifying record of 184.856 mph, 29.212 seconds.

Eight drivers failed to make the field: Travis Kvapil, Dave Blaney, Mike Garvey, Jeremy Mayfield, Sterling Marlin, Scott Riggs, Tony Raines and Dexter Bean.

Results

Pos

No. Driver Team Time Speed Behind
1 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota 29.033 185.995 0.000
2 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge 29.078 185.707 0.045
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 29.081 185.688 0.048
4 00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota 29.091 185.624 0.058
5 47 Marcos Ambrose Kingsford Toyota 29.117 185.459 0.084
6 39 Ryan Newman Haas Automation Chevrolet 29.127 185.395 0.094
7 9 Kasey Kahne Budweiser Dodge 29.129 185.382 0.096
8 5 Mark Martin Pop-Tarts/Carquest Chevrolet 29.140 185.312 0.107
9 29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet 29.145 185.280 0.112
10 14 Tony Stewart Old Spice Chevrolet 29.155 185.217 0.122
11 12 David Stremme No. 12 Penske Dodge Dodge 29.177 185.077 0.144
12 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Mobil 1 Dodge 29.191 184.989 0.158
13 25 Brad Keselowski GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 29.223 184.786 0.190
14 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet 29.258 184.565 0.225
15 55 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 29.262 184.540 0.229
16 99 Carl Edwards AFLAC Ford 29.269 184.496 0.236
17 96 Bobby Labonte ASK.com Ford 29.279 184.433 0.246
18 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet 29.279 184.433 0.246
19 44 A J Allmendinger Harrah's Dodge 29.285 184.395 0.252
20 20 Joey Logano # The Home Depot Toyota 29.286 184.388 0.253
21 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota 29.321 184.168 0.288
22 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 29.322 184.162 0.289
23 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Energizer Chevrolet 29.329 184.118 0.296
24 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 29.347 184.005 0.314
25 1 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shop Chevrolet 29.348 183.999 0.315
26 13 Max Papis # GEICO Toyota 29.352 183.974 0.319
27 8 Aric Almirola TomTom Chevrolet 29.358 183.936 0.325
28 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 29.380 183.799 0.347
29 34 John Andretti Window World Dodge 29.382 183.786 0.349
30 71 David Gilliland Capital Window Chevrolet 29.388 183.748 0.355
31 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet 29.389 183.742 0.356
32 7 Robby Gordon Jim Beam Toyota 29.430 183.486 0.397
33 19 Elliott Sadler Stanley Dodge 29.434 183.461 0.401
34 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota 29.461 183.293 0.428
35 64 Todd Bodine Toyota 29.471 183.231 0.438
36 28 Travis Kvapil Yates Racing Ford 29.479 183.181 0.446
37 6 David Ragan UPS Ford 29.485 183.144 0.452
38 98 Paul Menard Johns Manville/Menards Ford 29.521 182.921 0.488
39 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios/Hambrgr Helper Chev 29.545 182.772 0.512
40 66 Dave Blaney Hyde Park Storage Suites Toyota 29.561 182.673 0.528
41 26 Jamie McMurray Irwin Ford 29.577 182.574 0.544
42 43 Reed Sorenson Valvoline Dodge 29.594 182.469 0.561
43 73 Mike Garvey Quality Concrete/ Jani-King Dodge 29.596 182.457 0.563
44 41 Jeremy Mayfield All Sport Body Quencher Toyota 29.607 182.389 0.574
45 17 Matt Kenseth USG Ford 29.647 182.143 0.614
46 07 Casey Mears Jack Daniels Chevrolet 29.682 181.928 0.649
47 09 Sterling Marlin Dodge 29.745 181.543 0.712
48 82 Scott Speed # Red Bull Toyota 29.792 181.257 0.759
49 36 Scott Riggs Red Bank Outfitters Toyota 29.864 180.820 0.831
50 37 Tony Raines Long John Silver's Dodge 29.945 180.331 0.912
51 51 Dexter Bean Dodge 31.007 174.154 1.974

Lineup

Row Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
Row 1: 1 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota 29.033 185.995
2 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge 29.078 185.707
Row 2: 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/KobaltT Tools Chevrolet 29.081 185.688
4 00 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota 29.091 185.624
Row 3: 5 47 Marcos Ambrose Kingsford Toyota 29.117 185.459
6 39 Ryan Newman Haas Automation Chevrolet 29.127 185.395
Row 4: 7 9 Kasey Kahne Budweiser Dodge 29.129 185.382
8 5 Mark Martin Pop-Tarts/Carquest Chevrolet 29.140 185.312
Row 5: 9 29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet 29.145 185.280
10 14 Tony Stewart Old Spice Chevrolet 29.155 185.217
Row 6: 11 12 David Stremme No. 12 Penske Dodge Dodge 29.177 185.077
12 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Mobil 1 Dodge 29.191 184.989
Row 7: 13 25 Brad Keselowski GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 29.223 184.786
14 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet 29.258 184.565
Row 8: 15 55 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 29.262 184.540
16 99 Carl Edwards AFLAC Ford 29.269 184.496
Row 9: 17 96 Bobby Labonte ASK.com Ford 29.279 184.433
18 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet 29.279 184.433
Row 10: 19 44 A J Allmendinger Harrah's Dodge 29.285 184.395
20 20 Joey Logano # The Home Depot Toyota 29.286 184.388
Row 11: 21 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota 29.321 184.168
22 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 29.322 184.162
Row 12: 23 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Energizer Chevrolet 29.329 184.118
24 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 29.347 184.005
Row 13: 25 1 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shop Chevrolet 29.348 183.999
26 13 Max Papis # GEICO Toyota 29.352 183.974
Row 14: 27 8 Aric Almirola TomTom Chevrolet 29.358 183.936
28 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 29.380 183.799
Row 15: 29 34 John Andretti Window World Dodge 29.382 183.786
30 71 David Gilliland Capital Window Chevrolet 29.388 183.748
Row 16: 31 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet 29.389 183.742
32 7 Robby Gordon Jim Beam Toyota 29.430 183.486
Row 17: 33 19 Elliott Sadler Stanley Dodge 29.434 183.461
34 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota 29.461 183.293
Row 18: 35 6 David Ragan UPS Ford 29.485 183.144
36 98 Paul Menard Johns Manville/Menards Ford 29.521 182.921
Row 19: 37 33 Clint Bowyer Cheerios / Hamburger Helper Chevrolet 29.545 182.772
38 26 Jamie McMurray Irwin Ford 29.577 182.574
Row 20: 39 43 Reed Sorenson Valvoline Dodge 29.594 182.469
40 17 Matt Kenseth USG Ford Owner Points
Row 21: 41 07 Casey Mears Jack Daniels Chevrolet Owner Points
42 82 Scott Speed # Red Bull Toyota Owner Points
Row 22: 43 64 Todd Bodine Toyota 29.471 183.231

Did Not Qualify:
# 28 Travis Kvapil;
# 66 Dave Blaney;
# 73 Mike Garvey;
# 41 Jeremy Mayfield;
# 09 Sterling Marlin;
# 36 Scott Riggs;
# 37 Tony Raines;
# 51 Dexter Bean.