Kurt Busch on pole at Charlotte’s roval

CONCORD, N.C.» Kurt Busch felt like a kid again this week.

He spent two full days in a testing simulator, trying to figure out the best way to maneuver around the new “roval” course at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a hybrid of a road course and oval that has NASCAR drivers staying up at night pondering how to conquer it — or at least a way to avoid crashing and advance to the next round of the playoffs.

Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. all failed to reach the final round of qualifying and will start outside of the top 12.

“To figure this place out is a little tricky,” Truex said, who has already secured a spot in the next round of the playoffs.

Brad Keselowski, who is one of the hottest drivers in the field coming into the race, also failed to reach the final round.

Busch may have found something in the testing that others are still trying to learn, beating out A.J. All mendinger to take the pole for Sunday’s race in his No. 41 Ford.

“I turned 40 this year and there I am on the simulator acting like it’s a video game,” Busch said with a laugh. “But you have to do those things.”

Busch the said key is to not “overdrive “in the next corner trying to pick up time lost in the previous corner.

“I think that’s an important fundamental aspect of going into a new style of track,” Busch said.

Busch called it “really special” to lead the field at the roval, his fourth pole of the season.

The roval is unlike anything used before in NASCAR featuring a 17turn, 2.28mile course has a 35foot change in elevation. It is going to require drivers to think outside the box, particularly those who enter the elimination race in need of a good showing to advance to the round of 12.

“This track is really slick and it’s challenging in a lot of areas,” said playoff contender Erik Jones, who qualified 12th.