Johnson to drive a backup car after Kentucky practice wreck

Biffle could have some positive Kentucky karma Saturday night.

On Kentucky Speedway’s repaved and reconfigured surface, the answer was clear. NASCAR is also implementing a new aerodynamic setup this weekend, a package that is created to cause more downforce in the cars, and teams have had to work with new tires from manufacturer Goodyear that better function on the new track.

NASCAR canceled Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Friday five hours before it was scheduled to take place, opting to give teams additional track time after heavy rain washed out a significant part of a morning practice session.

What driver will be the one to end up in Victory Lane?

Kyle Busch is the king of Kentucky, having won two of the five races contested there including this race a year ago.

NASCAR made a decision to scrap qualifying Friday and give the teams additional practice time instead.

A lot of unknowns await the Sprint Cup drivers at Kentucky this year as the track was repaved since the last time they raced on it. They’ve each won twice, with Matt Kenseth earning the other victory in 2013. “I saw a lot of people having trouble there, and I think that is going to make the race good (by providing chances to pass)”.

“We go through it every year”, said Kyle Petty, analyst for NBCSN, which is televising Saturday’s race (7:30 p.m.) “People are like, well, this is just the summer months”. Look for him to push Busch for the win tonight.

Coming off last week’s victory, Brad Keselowski couldn’t have picked a much better track to be on the schedule this weekend.

“I think hopefully, but (Busch and Keselowski) are two really good race vehicle drivers and really good organizations”.

In five tries, he’s only finished in the top 15 one time (14th in 2014).

“I would say the approach is to take all of the Kentucky notes and run them through the shredder and start from scratch because what’s worked here in the past isn’t even close to what’s gonna work here this weekend”, Keselowski said”.

Dillon was second in a Chevy with Suarez third in a Toyota. “We finished fifth, so that was a good rebound from when we showed up here at Kentucky”. Larson’s races on the other 1.5 mile tracks this season have been mediocre with finishes of 13th and 14th at Charlotte and Texas but I think things are lining up for a strong run at Kentucky on Saturday night.

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