Kansas City, Kan. – If Chris Buescher was not tired of Kyle Larson after the end of last year at Kansas Speedway, he should certainly be after the Saturday’s qualification session on the 1.5 mile track.
By directing what he called “a perfect turn”, Larson, the last driver to race during the time trial, eliminated Buescher from the provisional post for Advent Health on Sunday 400 (3 p.m. He, FS1, MRN and Siriusxm Nascar Radio).
Larson burned the intermediate speedway with a round at 183.730 MPH (29.391 seconds), beating Buescher (183.374 MPH) for first place of 0.057 seconds – a much wider margin, relatively speaking, than the race at the head of the last year at the end of the last year in Kansas.
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The Busch Light Pole Award was the first of Larson’s season, his first in Kansas and the 22nd of his career. The post is the 14th in Kansas for Chevrolet and the seventh this season for the automaker.
“The qualification lap felt really well,” said Larson. “You look at SMT (data), and you can see that drivers are starting to maintain the big open in (Tours) 1 and 2. In (Tours) 3 and 4, some guys would have tightened.
“Buescher was able to execute a good 3 and 4. I had a plan on the line that I wanted to run and try to match it with the accelerator, and fortunately, everything went well. My balance was really good, I felt like I had struck my marks and came to speed through 3 and 4 well, so it was a perfect turn. ”
During the race last spring, Larson jumped forward on arrival to point Buescher less than four inches. The fact that Buescher is again victim of the speed of the number 5 of Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was not lost for the winner of the pole.
“It’s really ironic and really cool,” said Larson. “I think it adds to the story of what happened last year and probably builds anticipation for the race (Sunday). I will not think about it, I suppose, when we drive under caution, but, yes, it’s ironic and funny and cool all at the same time.”
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Christopher Bell (183,268 MPH) finished third faster in the time trial, falling two positions in less from his fourth consecutive pole of Kansas Speedway.
Tyler Reddick qualified fourth at 183.150 MPH, followed by the Texas winner last Sunday, Joey Logano, at 182,871 MPH.
Ty Gibbs, William Byron, Daniel Suárez, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney will begin the sixth at the 10th respectively.
Kyle Busch and Josh Berry both struck the outside wall during their qualification towers and will start the 35th and 38th of the Sunday race.
