Kyle Busch won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Subway Fresh 500, lapping Phoenix International Raceway in 26.917 seconds at 133.744 mph. Ryan Newman holds the track-qualifying record of 26.499 seconds, 135.854 mph – set Nov. 5, 2004.
This is Buschs second career Bud Pole and came in his 50th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.
This is Buschs fourth top-10 start this season all in the past four races. It is his first start better than 15th in three races at Phoenix.
Busch became the 13th different driver to post a Bud Pole at Phoenix the fourth different one in the past four races.
Greg Biffle posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 26.990 seconds, 133.383 mph and will join Kyle Busch on the front row for the Subway Fresh 500. Biffle has posted seven top-10 starts this season failing to start in the top-10 in only the season-opening Dayton 500. It is his third top-10 start in five races at Phoenix all in the past three races here.
This is the third Bud Pole for Chevrolet in 2006. Dodge also has three Bud Poles and Ford has one. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
Tony Stewart (third) posted his fourth top-10 start of the season all third or better. It is his best start in nine races at Phoenix bettering his previous best of sixth, which he had posted three times.
Matt Kenseth (fourth) posted his best start of 2006 in posting his fourth top-10 start this season. It is his career-best start at Phoenix and first start better than 12th in his eight races here.
Carl Edwards (fifth) posted his third top-10 start this season and his second in four races at Phoenix.
Three Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year candidates qualified in the top-10 for the second straight race this season: Denny Hamlin (sixth), Clint Bowyer (eighth) and Martin Truex Jr. (ninth). Last race (Texas) J.J. Yeley joined Hamlin and Truex in starting in the top-10. This is the career-best start for Bowyer.
Brandon Ash (40th) became the 55th driver to make the field for at least one race this season.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(4-20-2006)
