Kyle Busch Sets New Track Record at Indianapolis

The NASCAR XFINITY Series is making their fourth annual trip to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday and Kyle Busch will lead the field to the green for the third consecutive race at the Brickyard. 

Busch was the last car to make a timed lap in the first round of qualifying, but his time was just good enough to slip into the top-12 and advance into Round two. It was in that round that Busch laid down a lap of over 180 mph and picked up over seven tenths of a second on his first round lap and he will start from pole.  

“I’m glad I’m going to be the one leading it and out front,” said the polesitter. We’ve qualified first here now for three in a row but that doesn’t have anything to say for what the race is here. I’m looking forward to it. You’ve definitely got to keep it out front and stay out front. You got to have good pit stops and you got to do everything right. It’s not over until it’s over but this is a good start.”

Joe Gibbs Racing swept the first three starting positions. XFINITY Series rookie, Daniel Suarez will line-up next to Busch. Two-time winner this season Erik Jones will start from the third position. It is both of those drivers first time driving at Indianapolis.

2011 Brickyard 400 winner, Paul Menard will begin in the fifth position after turning in the fastest lap in the first round of qualifying. Menard has stated that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is his favorite track and he would love to pick up another win at the world’s most famous track.

Much like the Sprint Cup Series, the XFINITY Series is also debuting a new rules package this weekend in order to process the future. NASCAR has implemented a taller rear spoiler and a shorter front splitter in order to take downforce away and putting the car more into the driver’s hands.  This new rule package has really thrown a curveball to some of the top teams.

XFINITY Series championship leader, Chris Buescher has had a difficult weekend thus far. He struggled in practice and will begin Saturday’s 250-miler from the 12th position coming off of a poor race last weekend in New Hampshire.

“It’s been pretty difficult for us,” said Buescher. “With the new rule package we actually didn’t make any qualifying runs in practice. Being that it’s an impound race it doesn’t make much of a difference. We got to find a little bit more yet.”

All three cars from JR Motorsports have really been struggling this weekend at the Indianapolis. All three teams have brought new cars to the race track, but none of them made it to the second round of qualifying. Chase Elliott will start 13th, while teammate Regan Smith starts alongside him in 14th and Kevin Harvick starts 16th. Elliott even caught a glimpse of the wall off of Turn 4 while taking the checkered flag in his qualifying run.  

“We’ll give it our best today,” said the 2014 XFINITY Series champion. “I’ve complained a lot to the team this weekend. We’ve made major gains from practice but still lacking some speed.

Smith was a little more optimistic regarding his No. 7 team and how he feels heading into one of the biggest races of the season.

“We’ve been working hard seeing where we can find some speed,” said Smith. “Obviously we’ll have to continue doing that. Today was not what anyone at JR Motorsports wanted.”

Roush Fenway Racing driver Darrell Wallace Jr. will have his work cut out for him because he starts in the 23rd position. One of Wallace’s worst starting sports of his young NASCAR career.

No teams were forced to take the early ride home as there are 40 cars for 40 positions. Winning at Indianapolis can change a team’s year around, it will be interesting to see who will kiss the bricks on Saturday. 

Dustin Albino