July 19, 2019 | By Lee Spencer

NASCAR Notebook: Keselowski relishes pole position at Loudon

LOUDON, N.H.—Following a two-year drought, Brad Keselowski picked up the pole on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford posted a lap of 136.384mph for 15th pole of his Cup career. Keselowski had the advantage of making his qualifying run late in the session as temperatures dipped into the low 90s. He bumped Kyle Busch of the top of the speed chart for his fourth pole at the Magic Mile.

Keselowski didn’t discount the benefit of starting from the pole and earning the first pit box at New Hampshire.

“The only track I can think of where it’s maybe more important would be Martinsville in the fall, or the two races we have there in the spring and fall, but we’re happy with that effort,” Keselowski said. “It certainly bodes well for our shot to get those stage wins and of course the overall race win come Sunday, but we still have to go earn it. 

“You’re happy for it. You take a breath. You celebrate it and then you get your head back down and go to work.”

Kurt Busch, last week’s winner at Kentucky Speedway, posted the third quickest time followed by Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Matt DiBenedetto, Joey Logano, Aric Almirola  and Jimmie Johnson.

Alex Bowman went out 13th but didn’t complete his first run before something exploded on the No. 88 Chevy.

“There was a big boom and something broke,” Bowman said. “I don't know. I haven’t looked at the car. Obviously, the driveshaft broke. I don’t know if the gears or the driveshaft went first. It took out a lot of stuff on the way out. There’s oil everywhere. Just part of it.

“I don’t like New Hampshire. I’ve always struggled here. I’m a selfish, biased race car driver so places I struggle, I don’t like. It’s going to be hot, and certainly we have our work cut out for us starting from the back. But we’ll make it a good day.”

Qualifying was delayed while track workers cleaned the surface, but it didn’t stop William Byron from slapping the wall during his qualifying attempt. Three-time New Hampshire winners Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman, who both wrecked earlier in the day and will go to back up cars for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, qualified 23rd and 26th, respectively.

Daniel Hemric’s car failed pre-qualifying inspection twice but will still start 19th. He’ll lose 15 minutes in Happy Hour and his car chief has been ejected.

No, really…

Erik Jones feels he’s made in roads in renewing his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Jones, who finished third last weekend at Kentucky Speedway, said he spoke with team owner Gibbs this week about shoring up his deal for next season.

“We’ve had some good meetings, some positive meetings,” Jones said. “We’re moving in the right direction. I’d love to get it done here soon and I think we’re close.

“We’ve had good meetings between my guys and JGR. I’ve had good meetings with Coach talking about it and moving forward so I think we’re close. I know I keep saying it but I really feel like we’re pretty close to getting it done. I told Coach I want to get it done. We both—from each of our ends—want to get it done and stop worrying about it, stop focussing on it. We’re close, so hopefully, here soon.”

Jones is in his third full season in the Cup series and this second at JGR. He’s 16th in the Cup standings—eight points behind Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson, who are tied for 14th.

“We feel good about it,” Jones said. “Last week I wish we would have won, you know. It was close for us. We had a good car—not quite good enough to win—but situationally, we had a shot at it.

“I feel good. We need to have another good week here, get some good stage points, get a good finish. Racking up points would be a positive. But it’s still a close gap all the way up to 14th in points. I feel we can get there with some good races. We have to keep pushing. We have to keep fighting, but I feel good about our position right now.”

Going the distance?

Following Kurt Busch’s win last weekend, the 2004 champion said he seemed intent on sticking around in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beyond this season.

Busch, who joined forces with Chip Ganassi Racing in the No. 1 Chevrolet this year, said he was working to acquire necessary sponsorship to continue with the team.

He signed a one-year deal for 2019 when he came on board after leaving Stewart-Haas Racing last year.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m driving in 2020 and beyond,” Busch said. “It would be what I’d want to do to help a program or to give my knowledge and to be part of a team and to make things work here for 2019 and continue to improve whether I’m driving or I’m not, to help all of Ganassi. It’s just a matter of if I’m driving or I’m not.

“I’m still going to do my job to make sure we are progressing and pushing toward the future on what I believe is important and what they want to do to apply it and what they believe is important and what I have to listen to.”

Busch jumped to sixth in the Monster Energy Cup Playoff standings after his 31st win last Saturday. He’s also the top Chevrolet driver as of now. That could be a bonus as Busch navigates his negotiations.

“You’re asking me all these fun questions when everything is on a high,” Busch said. “When everything is great and we’re coming out of Victory Lane and having fun scavenging rides home and just living at the top level. We’ll see how things all piece together. I don’t have all the full answers, but things are all pointing in the right direction to be teamed-up together and to continue to race and to win races and to run at a championship.

“I haven’t thought about it other than through your question. But if I’m able to make a run at the championship, that could change things as well, and that wouldn’t happen until the week of Thanksgiving.”