News NASCAR starting lineup at Bristol: Kyle Busch wins pole, Kurt Busch starts second

© (Getty Images) Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch won the pole for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol, and he beat a familiar opponent to do it — his older brother, Kurt Busch.

Kyle, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series points leader, turned a lap of 14.895 seconds in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, just nipping Kurt's time of 14.897 seconds.

It's Kyle Busch's 29th career pole, and his second of the season. It also marks the third time the Busch brothers have started 1-2 in a NASCAR Cup race. Kyle sat on the pole the two previous times as well.

"He always told everyone if you think I'm good, just wait until you see my younger brother," Kyle Busch joked with FS1 afterward. "It's nice to come out here and grab a front-row starting spot."

Kurt Busch unexcited by 2019 schedule, wants shake-up

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kurt Busch says he is not excited about the 2019 NASCAR Cup series schedule because he feels it needs to be “shaken up”. NASCAR announced its 2019 Cup calendar earlier this month and it proved to be identical to ’18, except for minor Easter date moves to accommodate the holiday.Ahead of the current season drivers had mixed opinions on NASCAR’s rigid calendar, with SHR’s Kevin Harvick describing the fixed Homestead-Miami finale as “stale.

Kyle Busch will lead the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup field of 36 to the green flag Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway ( 2 :00 p.m. ET). Starting lineup for the QuikTrip Folds of Honor 500. (18) Kyle Busch , 184.652 mph.

Kyle Busch ( win ) Martin Truex Jr. +67 points above cutoff line Brad Keselowski +29 Kevin Harvick +3 Jimmie Johnson -3 Ryan Blaney -6 Denny Hamlin -8 Chase Elliott -26. Starting lineup for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas.

Kurt Busch knew exactly where he lost the pole.

"I missed it a little bit in turn one, got greedy and it washed up just a little bit," Kurt Busch told FS1. "Two Busch's on the front row, that's not too bad."

Kevin Harvick, who leads the NASCAR Cup series with three victories this season, crashed in practice earlier in the day and had to go to a backup car. He did not turn a qualifying lap and will start 39th — where he would have started regardless of how he qualified because he is driving a backup car.

Brad Keselowski qualified third, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Blaney.

The Food City 500 begins Sunday at 2 p.m. on Fox.

Starting lineup for the Food City 500

1. Kyle Busch

2. Kurt Busch

3. Brad Keselowski

4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

5. Ryan Blaney

6. Kyle Larson

7. Paul Menard

8. Alex Bowman

9. Michael McDowell

The Food City 500 begins Sunday at 2 p.m. on Fox.

10. Joey Logano

11. William Byron

12. Daniel Suarez

13. Erik Jones

14. Clint Bowyer

15. Kasey Kahne

16. Chase Elliott

17. Jimmie Johnson

18. AJ Allmendinger

19. Aric Almirola

20. Darrell Wallace Jr.

21. Austin Dillon

22. Chris Buescher

23. David Ragan

24. Matt DiBenedetto

25. Denny Hamlin

26. Martin Truex Jr.

27. Ross Chastain

28. Gray Gaulding

29. Landon Cassill

30. Ryan Newman

31. Jamie McMurray

32. Ty Dillon

33. Trevor Bayne

34. Corey LaJoie

35. DJ Kennington

36. Reed Sorenson

37. Harrison Rhodes

38. Chad Finchum

39. Kevin Harvick