BUSCH: LaJoie breaks record, gets pole at Nashville

Randy LaJoie put the No. 7 Kleenex Chevrolet on the pole for the Nashville NBS race. The two-time series champion also broke the track record with his lap of 163.324 mph. The record set by Shane Hmiel last year at 161.440 mph, was beat by sixteen of the qualifying racers.

Randy Lajoie.

Photo by James Spires.

It is LaJoie's eighth career pole, first of the season and first at the 1.333-mile superspeedway.

"Nashville gives away the coolest trophy in all of motor sports," said LaJoie. "The Gibson guitar. I remember watching the races at the old fair grounds and wanting to win a race there just so I could have one of my own.

"I finally won a race there, and I got my guitar, but now I've got to win at the new superspeedway so I can add another to my collection."

Jason Keller, who sits fifth in championship points, will start on the outside pole in the No. 57 Ford

"The biggest thing that kind of makes me mad is that I went through 1 and 2 quicker on the second lap," commented Keller. "But just messed up down there in 3 and 4.In order to qualify on the pole, you have to have close to a perfect lap. I had a real good lap, but I just left a little out there."

Keller's teammate Scott Riggs rolls off third.

"We've really made gains from the time we unloaded this morning," said Riggs. "We had a lot of work to do and we made big gains every time we came in and made changes. I feel good about it.

"We're still not quite where we need to be, but I'm real proud of how hard all of the guys have worked to get us in this position. I feel good about my race car for the race."

Kevin Grubb and Stanton Barrett round out the top five.

Barrett continues to impress driving last year's championship No. 60 Roush Ford with a fifth place effort this weekend.

"That's a pretty good time for the OdoBan Ford. I got a solid lap in on the first lap, and I went for it on the second lap. I did what I thought I could do on the second lap, but with my brakes, I just drove it in a little too deep.

"There's such a fine line between putting up a good lap and not. This car is capable of being on the pole; I just screwed (up). I want to do so good that I was just trying a little too hard on the second lap. It was a good run for the OdoBan Ford."

Forty-nine drivers attempted to qualify for the 43-car field. Failing to make the show are John Hayden, Jeff Streeter, Gus Wasson, Joe Buford, Dion Ciccarelli and Norm Benning.

Notably, Martin Treux, Jr. trying to make the field for his first career NBS race starts 18th in the No. 158 Chevy.