KURT BUSCH STARTING MILLER LITE DODGE 13TH IN DAYTONA 500
-Strong Comeback In First 150-Lap Qualifying Race Leads To Sixth-Place Finish-
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb., 16, 2006) – Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch made a strong comeback in today’s first 150-mile qualifying race to finish sixth and earn the 13th starting spot for Sunday’s 48th Annual Daytona 500 here at Daytona International Speedway.
“We tried to make a run there on the outside of the 38 car after the restart, nobody hooked up with us and that was pretty much how the race wound up,” Busch said of his Lap 37 move to the outside of then leader and eventual race winner Elliott Sadler. “We got hung out and fell back there in the pack running three abreast. The guys did great in the pits, Roy (McCauley, crew chief) was up on the box making the right calls and Jeremy (Brickhouse) did a great job spotting for us.”
Busch started sixth during the race that started late and was interrupted by rain showers, but was a solid third after six laps. Tony Stewart, Sadler and Busch were running as the top three just before a scheduled pit stop; when Paul Menard crashed after cutting a tire down to bring out the first caution on Lap 26.
Excellent pit work kept Busch in third behind leader Sadler and second-place Stewart for the Lap 32 restart. When Stewart tried to make an outside move on Sadler to regain the lead, Busch stayed behind Sadler and moved up to the second spot.
Rain halted the action on Lap 34 for some 10 minutes. When the green flag flew again, Busch attempted an outside move on Sadler to gain the lead. Jimmie Johnson was running third at the time and he chose to stay behind Sadler, dropping Busch back in the field. He fell back as far as 16th, running three-wide in huge pack of cars.
With McCauley giving support from the pit box and team-owner Roger Penske instilling confidence from the spotters’ stand, Busch exercised great patience and made his way back up through the field.
Busch was back up to 14th at Lap 46 of the 60-lap race, 12th at Lap 50 and seventh with six laps remaining. He was back up to sixth when the third caution of the race came out, due to Chad Chaffin’s crash, which set up a green-white-checkered finish.
Sadler was on the point for the final restart, with Carl Edwards second, Dale Earnhardt Jr. third, Matt Kenseth fourth, Johnson fifth and Busch sixth.
Sadler held his line to come home the winner of the first Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifier. Edwards finished second, with Earnhardt third, Johnson fourth and Kenseth fifth. With too little time to make up any additional ground, Busch had to settle for a sixth-place finish.
“We have a great team, and we have fun working as a team together,” Busch said at the gas pumps immediately after the race. “That was our first run. We got some good fuel mileage and good setup notes, and that will help us so we can move forward and run good in the 500. I think it’s more or less putting some more downforce on the car and giving up a little speed. We’ll see what Roy’s got up his sleeve.”
“Kurt drove a really smart race and I’m really pleased with how everything went today,” said McCauley. “We’re confident that we have a car and a driver capable of winning here on Sunday.”
Jeff Gordon came how the winner in the second 150-lap qualifying race, which also came down to a green-white-checkered finish. Kyle Busch was second, with Jamie McMurray third, Bobby Labonte fourth and Mark Martin fifth.
Jeff Burton and Gordon wrapped up the two front-row starting spots here with their qualifying efforts last Sunday. Sadler will start Sunday’s 500-mile, 200-lap racing classic from the third spot. Kyle Busch goes fourth, with Edwards fifth, McMurray sixth, Earnhardt seventh, Labonte eighth, Johnson ninth and Martin 10th. Kenseth starts 11th, with Petty 12th, Kurt 13th, Casey Mears 14th and Tony Stewart 15th.
Sunday’s 48th Annual Daytona 500 has a scheduled 2:30 p.m. EST starting time at Daytona International Speedway. The 2006 NASCAR season-opening race will feature live coverage by NBC-TV and MRN Radio.
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