Busch puts self in position for another Phoenix win

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Kyle Busch picked up where he left off at Phoenix International Raceway, winning the pole Thursday to put himself in prime position to win a second straight race in the desert.

Busch, who won at Phoenix last November, ran a lap at 133.745 mph to take the top qualifying spot for Saturday night’s Subway Fresh 500. His lap bested Greg Biffle, who qualified second with a lap at 133.383, and Tony Stewart, who was third at 133.299.

After crossing the line, Busch barked into his radio.

“I was just chomping at the bit,” he said.

He then celebrated his first pole since February of last year by climbing onto the pit road wall and waving his arms in the air.

“Do snow angels,” Stewart said sarcastically of the celebration tactic Busch’s older brother, Kurt, has recently adopted.

Stewart can mock if he wants, but the Busch brothers are hot in Phoenix. Kurt won this race last year, giving the Busch brothers a sweep on the flat, mile-long oval.

“It’s not whether you are getting boos or cheers, it’s who gets the most noise,” Kyle Busch said. “Right now, it’s close between Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., but the Busch brothers are steadily climbing that rope.”

No driver has won from the pole in the 19 Cup events at Phoenix, but Kyle Busch liked his chances in the Chevrolet he said was the “sister car” to November’s winning entry.

“We have a good race car,” he said. “It’s the sister car, so hopefully we can make it just as good, if not better.”