Chase hopeful Kurt Busch has been having a bad weekend at Kansas Speedway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver struggled in Friday’s qualifying, securing a 15th place starting spot for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400.
After final practice on Saturday however, Busch will be starting from the rear of the field.
As the red flag waved to end the session, Busch was exiting turn 4 when he spun and slid through the infield grass along the frontstretch. The driver later reported his right front tire blew causing the car to spin. The front of his Chevy didn’t appear to have heavy damage, but it was enough to force the team to pull out the backup car for Sunday.
Busch was second in the first practice Saturday, and was third in the final practice. Busch was third here in May, and while he has not won at Kansas, his best finish here came in 2013. Busch finished second after starting from the rear of the field.
Busch’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick had a scare during the final 50-minute practice session. Harvick got loose out of turn 4 and started to spin, but was able to save it. He did brush the wall, and the caution came out, but there was no serious damage and Harvick returned to the track and was 13th-fastest in the field.
Pole winner Matt Kenseth was fastest in final practice at 186.36. Paul Menard led the first practice Saturday with a speed of 184.672.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto’s excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019
