DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 6, 2010) – Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger, led the Penske Racing stable of Cup Series drivers with a seventh-place qualifying effort on Thursday for the season-opening Daytona 500. Drivers Sam Hornish Jr. and Brad Keselowski finished in 12th and 15th place, respectively.
Due to the unique qualifying format for the "Great American Race," which consists of two 150-mile heat races, all three Penske Racing drivers will compete in the second Duel to determine their final starting position for the Daytona 500.
Busch and the Miller Lite team will line up to start the second 60-lap qualifying race from the third starting spot. Hornish and the Mobil 1 team will line up in the fifth starting position and Keselowski will start eighth. The combined outcome of both races will determine the final starting order for the Daytona 500.
“That was a really good run for us,” said Busch. “We gained the speed that we were looking for out of the car today. We have great horsepower, and with Steve Addington's addition, we are all working hard to get those thousandths of a second. That's the type of result that we're looking to see right now.”
The 150-mile Duel qualifying races air live on SPEED on Thursday, February 11, 2010 starting at 2 p.m. ET. The much-anticipated return of the Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, February 14, 2010. Coverage of pre-race festivities and racing action will air live on the FOX television network beginning at 1 p.m. ET and will broadcast live on MRN beginning at Noon ET.
