It looked like Jimmie Johnson would snag his first NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Award since winning the pole at Texas last spring, as he had the provisional pole for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with just six cars left to qualify.
However, that next car was 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. Busch was able to string together a great lap, and was able to knock Johnson off the pole by nearly the narrowest of margins.
The official pole winning margin was nine one-thousandths of a second.
“I’m just so proud of Matt McCall and all our guys and the way we have to communicate right now, and get through everything as far as those last-minute details and those fine adjustments,” said Busch. “But, wow, what a Chevrolet brigade up front. This is pretty sweet!”
This marks the first pole of the 2020 season for Busch and it’s the 28th pole position of his Cup Series career.
Lining up behind Busch and Johnson will be Chase Elliott and Matt Kenseth in Row two.
Richard Childress Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon will make up Row three, while Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and William Byron rounded out the top-10 qualifiers for Sunday’s race.
The qualifying session was a treacherous one as Matt DiBenedetto pancaked the wall off of turn four in his No. 21 Ford Mustang and will go to a backup car as a result.
Video: Matt DiBenedetto Going to Backup Car After Slapping Turn 4 Wall at Charlotte
Aric Almirola also found trouble as he spun in turn four with his No. 10 Ford Mustang.
Video: Aric Almirola Spins Off Turn No. 4 in Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying.
