CONCORD, N.C. | Kyle Busch wondered how well his car would run after practice Thursday afternoon at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
It was fast enough Thursday night for him to earn the pole for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.
Busch went 185.433 mph to earn his second pole of the season and fourth of his career. Kasey Kahne, who won last week's all-star race, continued his hot streak by qualifying second with a lap of 185.300 mph. Brian Vickers (185.249 mph), Greg Biffle (184.970) and David Ragan (184.470) completed the top five.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the top Hendrick car, qualifying sixth.
Others did not fare as well. Carl Edwards starts 30th, Tony Stewart is 31st and Ryan Newman, who had won the pole in 7 of 14 previous races at this track, starts 38th.
No one could top Busch, who has been fast and nearly unstoppable as long as he doesn't have mechanical troubles.
Even a bit a racing voodoo couldn't stop him. Outgoing track president Humpy Wheeler gave drivers autographed $50 bills on pit road before qualifying, but racing lore considers $50 bills to be unlucky.
"I don't want that," Busch said he told Wheeler.
"Then he gave it to one of my crew guys and I'm like, 'don't take that, so I put it back in (Wheeler's) pocket."
Jeff Green, Stanton Barrett, Jon Wood, Joe Nemechek and Tony Raines failed to qualify.
New rule to limit amount of rear adjustment
NASCAR officials issued a technical bulletin Thursday to teams, limiting the amount of rear adjustment being made to create more aerodynamic downforce and sideforce. The rule takes effect next weekend.
"I think the new rule is putting everybody back to where we are," Jimmie Johnson said.
Jeff Burton said the rule is good for safety.
"Whenever you start doing that, you get into issues of starting to break axles and all of those kind of things," Burton said.
Sadler still steamed over last week's incident
Elliott Sadler says he's still upset with AJ Allmendinger for their incident in last weekend's Sprint Showdown before the all-star race.
Allmendinger drifted up the track and clipped Sadler in the left rear, sending Sadler into the wall. Allmendinger said he left a message for Sadler, but hasn't received a call back.
"I've done what I can," Allmendinger said. "I've apologized enough and now I'm just focused on this week."
Pit passes
Reed Sorenson says he still remains on the free-agent market. Sorenson, 22, is in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. Sorenson ranks 31st in the points.... Drivers paid tribute to Wheeler, who is retiring after this weekend, with various stories. Johnson talked about how he boxed with Wheeler, a former boxer, in 2000.... There's no track activity today. Action resumes Saturday.
- Dustin Long
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