Kyle Busch, winless in 20 attempts at the Daytona 500, secures pole position.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Busch secured the pole position for NASCAR’s season-opening Daytona 500, providing the driver with the longest current losing streak in “The Great American Race” an opportunity to achieve the victory that has eluded him throughout his career.
Busch has not won the Daytona 500 in 20 attempts and has not started in the top five since 2016, when he was still with Joe Gibbs Racing. He began that race in fourth place and finished third, later achieving a career-best second place behind then-teammate Denny Hamlin in 2019.
“Kyle, we need to get him this 500,” remarked team owner Richard Childress.
“It feels really good right now — qualifying for my first pole in the Daytona 500 is quite special,” Busch stated, while wearing custom Olympic-themed racing shoes at Daytona International Speedway.
He clinched the pole on Wednesday night with a lap time of 183.925 mph in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, the team that signed him prior to the 2023 season after his contract with Gibbs ended and his salary was deemed too high for most teams.
However, his tenure in the No. 8 has been challenging for the two-time NASCAR champion. He has achieved three victories since joining RCR, all during his inaugural season, and heads into the Daytona 500 with a 93-race losing streak.
His pole position continues a positive trend for Busch and his family: his older brother, Kurt, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last month.
<p"It feels great for RCR as a whole," Busch commented. "It’s a tremendous effort by everyone here. It would be wonderful to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night."
RCR last had a car on the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2014 when Austin Dillon, the grandson of owner Richard Childress, qualified first. Dillon won the race in 2018.
Chase Briscoe, last year’s pole-sitter, qualified second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
“It’s a significant achievement, not just for me, but I haven’t even checked my phone; I’m sure [Bass Pro Shops owner] Johnny Morris is already ecstatic,” Briscoe said regarding his sponsor. “He gets really excited for this race. He has called me two or three times this week expressing his enthusiasm and asking about the car. It’s a big deal for him, too. It should be great to be on the front row again Sunday.”
While 37 drivers were already secured a spot in the race prior to time trials, the starting lineup will not be finalized until after a pair of qualifying races on Thursday night. Of those locked in, 36 drive chartered cars that guarantee entry into every race. An additional position was allocated to seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson under a provisional rule that permits a 41st “world-class driver” to attempt to enter a Cup event.
Johnson is a two-time Daytona 500 champion and finished third last year. He stepped away from full-time NASCAR racing after the 2020 season.
Two spots were available for those not already qualified, which were secured by Corey Heim for 23XI Racing and Justin Allgaier for JR Motorsports. They recorded the fastest times in the trials.
Heim, the reigning Truck Series champion, will be making his debut in the Daytona 500.
“It’s definitely a bit nerve-wracking,” said the 23-year-old from Georgia. “I’m really impressed and grateful to 23XI Racing and Toyota for allowing me to come here with an open car and a fourth team at 23XI; that’s quite an achievement from my perspective. I feel fortunate to be part of the team.”
Allgaier is participating for the fourth time in his career and the second consecutive year while driving for two-time race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“It’s such a fantastic sport to be involved in, and it’s exciting to come down here and try to make your way in,” Earnhardt said. “It can be stressful, but that’s the most enjoyable aspect of it.”
There are still two open spots in the field that will be determined Thursday night through a pair of 150-mile qualifying races. The highest finisher in each race among the drivers not already qualified will secure a spot in the Daytona 500.
The drivers still vying for entry include: Anthony Alfredo, Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod, Casey Mears, Chandler Smith, and J.J. Yeley. Only two will compete on Sunday.
Source: espn.com
