Lepage wins Busch Series pole at Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- NASCAR Winston Cup veterans Kevin Lepage and Michael Waltrip burst Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year point leader Scott Riggs' bubble when Lepage won the Bud Pole Award Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway for Saturday's Cabela's 250.

	Kevin Lepage set the MIS qualifying record Friday. Credit: Autostock

Lepage went out 49th of 51 cars that attempted to qualify and set a MIS qualifying record when he beat Waltrip's lap by .112 seconds by running 38.784 seconds, an average speed of 185.644 mph.

The pole was Lepage's first of the season in 15 Busch starts, the third of his career and his first since the September 2001 event at Kansas Speedway, a stretch of 16 races.

"We looked at the weather report and knew what the program was so all we were trying to do in practice was race runs," Lepage said. "We only had a chance to do one qualifying run in practice and the late qualifying draw really helped us."

Just five cars earlier, Waltrip's lap of the 2-mile oval was in 38.896 seconds, 185.109 mph. It was good for second.

"It had to have run fast down the straightaway for us to run that kind of time," Waltrip said. "It was loose through the corners in practice and loose there in qualifying (so) I was fortunate to have a great motor to pull me down the straightaway."

Lepage sang the same tune.

"Bill Davis does our engines and they brought us a great one," he said. "I couldn't do anything wrong on that lap. I went down into (Turn) 1 and I didn't even have to use the brake.

CABELA'S 250 • Lineup • 1st Practice Speeds • Race Facts

"This has been a great racetrack for me, so I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's race."

Riggs was the 25th driver to take the track and his third place lap in 38.939 seconds, 184.905 mph, also bettered Jimmy Spencer's year-old track record of 38.956 seconds, 184.824 mph.

Busch Series championship contender Jason Keller placed fourth (184.682 mph) and Stacy Compton backed up his fast time in practice for fifth (184.016).

Rain all morning at the two-mile oval delayed the start of Busch Series practice until 1:40 p.m. ET and the start of qualifying by more than three hours, until 4:40 p.m.

Taking provisional starting positions to line up 37th-43rd were Kevin Grubb; last year's fifth place qualifier Larry Foyt, whose team tried a short track car with no success; Shane Hall; Jimmy Kitchens; Dan Shaver; Larry Gunselman; and Chad Chaffin.

Those in the 52-car entry -- the largest of the season in the Busch Series -- that failed to make the field were Mike Harmon, Michigan driver Rick Markle, Steadman Marlin, Jason Schuler, Richard Mitchell, Dutchman Michael Vergers, Brian Ross, Wayman Wittman and Keith Murt.

The cars practiced for about 70 minutes of a hoped-for 80-minute session due to a brief rain delay. Compton was quickest of the 52 cars that practiced with a lap in 39.040 seconds, 184.426 mph.

Jeff Green and Waltrip, who will also attempt the Winston Cup race; Riggs; and Jeff Burton rounded out the top five in the practice.