#8-Martin Truex Jr. won the pole on Friday for the NASCAR Busch Series Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway, topping a record-setting qualifying session. Truex, the series points leader, reached a top speed of 180.102mph in his Chevrolet around the 1 1/2-mile track in warm, humid conditions. He broke the track and event record held for barely 15 minutes by #-Kyle Busch, who turned in a lap of 179.832mph in his Chevrolet. #23-Kenny Wallace, the first driver to qualify his car, initially broke the mark with an opening lap of 178.089 mph, also in a Chevrolet. But he eventually qualified only sixth, as defending race champion #25-Bobby Hamilton Jr., Lats weeks race winner #00-Jason Leffler, and #55-Robby Gordon passed him after Truex and Busch qualified for Saturday’s race. #59-Stacy Compton set the former record of 176.384 mph last year. Thirteen drivers exceeded that speed in qualifying Friday. The pole is the fifth of the year for Truex Jr. Busch wrecked in Happy Hour practice and had to go to a bacjup car and will fall to the rear of the field before the start of the race on Saturday.(ThatsRacin.com/BGNRacing.com)
For qualifying results/starting lineups, see:
BGNRacing.com
NASCAR.com.(6-18-2004)
