Stewart-Haas Racing driver: ‘It was good to … shake hands with all the guys’
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
AVONDALE, Ariz. — In his first trip back to the race track since being indefinitely suspended on the eve of this year’s Daytona 500, Kurt Busch shook off the rust, survived an uneventful practice and qualified eighth for Sunday’s Campingworld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick will start on the pole Sunday.
“Overall, it was just a pleasant day with overwhelming support from the team and the garage area,” Busch said.
“I’m thankful to be back and to have this competitive car that I can put in the top 10 on the first day out. Tomorrow, we’ll settle back into race trim where the car showed some speed.
“And this is the first short track of the year. It will put everybody on even ground, but I have the least amount of experience with the new (rules) package. So, mine is a little bit of learn as you go with the draft and the dirty air on Sunday.”
Busch was 17th on the speed chart in the day’s only practice. But he was fast enough in each round of qualifying to advance all the way to the third and final round of 12.
NASCAR suspended the 36-year-old Busch after former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll was granted an Order of Protection of Abuse by the Family Court of the State of Delaware.
The indefinite suspension was lifted March 11, in part because the State Attorney General’s office for the state of Delaware determined no charges would be filed against the driver.
NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Regan Smith competed for the team in Busch’s absence, finishing 16th at Daytona, 17th at Atlanta and 16th last weekend at Las Vegas.
Busch had competed in the non-points Sprint Unlimited at Daytona as well as one of two Daytona 500 qualifying races before his suspension.
“Phoenix is probably the track that I have the most amount of laps on in my career,” he said. “It was great to roll right off the hauler and be towards the top of the chart. It’s not me; it’s the team. The team is building very competitive cars.
“Overall, I’m pleased with how I was able to get back in the seat and show some speed and now you’ve got to work on those little things that pay dividends at the end of these races on Sunday.”
Although he missed the first three races, Busch remains eligible for one of the 16 spots in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs.
MORE:
|
|
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
NASCAR news
