Kenseth wins pole at Michigan 400

Busch has been a vocal critic of grass around race tracks, saying they are a hazard for the cars in the event of an accident.

Jones, following in Keselowski’s footsteps, will race in his native state for the first time in Saturday’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan global Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1). “I got a little bit free off 4”.

The good news? In the season’s first Michigan race, Kurt Busch had to go with his backup auto – and won the race.

Just four races remain in the regular season for drivers to secure a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs. “In a lot of discussions we had with the industry – and that includes the tracks, the drivers, the race teams, the OEMs – all believe that was in the best interest of the sport, excited about the Chase, excited about the package and what’s to come in the Chase, especially when you look back to previous year”.

That means Busch will now have to start from the back of the field, rather than the sixth place in which he qualified on Friday.

Austin Dillon and Tony Stewart busted up the JGR party between Edwards and Busch and will start fourth and fifth respectively. “Wasn’t sure we were going to have it”.

The day wasn’t a total loss for Busch.

The bad news, from Roush Fenway’s standpoint, is that Sprint Cup cars this weekend are running the same high-drag package first tried last month at Indianapolis, where Biffle finished 19th, Stenhouse 35th and Bayne 40th.

Long an outspoken proponent of eliminating infield grass at race tracks, Busch couldn’t resist a sarcastic quip after the accident.

“It was still a pretty good run, and I’m just looking forward to getting going and getting more practice tomorrow and seeing if we can make the package better”. “I always feel that the better your teammates are, the harder we all run and work”.

NASCAR will use a different aerodynamics rules package, one that will increase drag, for the Pure Michigan 400. Now Busch will have a lot of cars to pass as he tries to improve his position. “Now that we have to start in the back, it’s a good thing we did that”.

This week, NASCAR mandated a dual outlet duct be used on the right-side window to help with ventilation.

Full Saturday practice session results from Michigan global Speedway.

“It’s our job to put on the most competitive and fair racing that we can”, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell said, noting that NASCAR sought feedback from drivers, teams, and tracks in order to make the decision. “I don’t know. We’ll have to tune in and see”. “If not, if it’s a bigger issue, we will change the motor for Sunday”. He is retiring at the end of the season and so far does not have a checkered flag of his own for 2015. The retiring star has no wins and is 12th in the standings.

Kevin Harvick was seventh-fastest, ahead of Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Watkins Glen victor Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer.