Busch Edges Blaney For Cup Pole At WWT Raceway

Kyle Busch, seen here from an earlier race weekend, scored the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Photo: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway broke a long dry spell for two-time series champion Kyle Busch.

Rocketing around the 1.25-mile irregularly shaped speedway in 32.802 seconds (137.187 mph), Busch won his first Cup pole position since Nov. 10, 2019, when he was first on the grid at Phoenix Raceway.

Busch edged Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 winner Ryan Blaney for the top starting spot by .008 seconds. Blaney, who had run the fastest lap of the day in the first round of time trials (32.797 seconds) clocked in a 137.153 mph in the money round.

“I haven’t been known as a great qualifier lately, apparently,” said Busch, who claimed the 33rd pole of his career. “Being able to get a pole here with Richard Childress Racing and Team Chevy and everybody with this No. 8 car is good for us just to try to get some momentum rolling.

“Our short-track stuff hasn’t been the greatest this year so far, but this isn’t the short-track aero package here this weekend, so that might pay dividends, hopefully, for us to have a better day than what we anticipated. Just excited to have the guys pumped up and raring to go and knowing that their hard work’s paying off.”

Busch credited improved performance in turns 1 and 2 for his pole-winning lap.

“Being able to hit turns 1 and 2, it seemed like that was where a lot of the speed was today,” Busch said. “But overall, the whole lap has to be put together. The adjustments we were making, the feedback I was able to give to (crew chief) Randall (Burnett) and the guys, they did a good job of being able to get me what I was looking for and make it better as we went.

“We saved the best for last there that last run.”

Blaney will start on the outside of the front row, but his team lost pit selection when his No. 12 Team Penske Ford failed inspection twice on Friday.

Denny Hamlin qualified third at 137.153 mph, followed by Kevin Harvick (136.866 mph) and Martin Truex, Jr. (136.360 mph). Defending race winner Joey Logano, three-time 2023 winner William Byron, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick and Austin Cindric will start from positions six through 10 on the grid, respectively.

Subbing for suspended Chase Elliott, Corey LaJoie qualified 30th. Carson Hocevar, who is taking LaJoie’s place in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, claimed the 26th starting spot.

NASCAR Cup Series
World Wide Technology Raceway – Madison, Illinois
Enjoy Illinois 300 – June 3, 2023

Saturday’s Qualifying Results

1. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 137.187 mph.
2. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 137.153 mph.
3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 136.903 mph.
4. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 136.766 mph.
5. (19) Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, 136.360 mph.
6. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 136.339 mph.
7. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 136.240 mph.
8. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 135.993 mph.
9. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 135.788 mph.
10. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 135.530 mph.
11. (16) A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
12. (47) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
13. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
14. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford, 0.000 mph.
15. (54) Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
17. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
18. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
19. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 0.000 mph.
20. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
21. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 0.000 mph.
22. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
23. (31) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
24. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 0.000 mph.
25. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 0.000 mph.
26. (7) Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
27. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 0.000 mph.
28. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 0.000 mph.
29. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford, 0.000 mph.
30. (9) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
31. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
32. (42) Noah Gragson #, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
33. (77) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
34. (78) B.J. McLeod, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
35. (15) Gray Gaulding(i), Ford, 0.000 mph.
36. (51) J.J. Yeley(i), Ford, 0.000 mph.