Inspection erases Kyle Busch’s pole

Kyle Busch’s car failed a post-qualifying inspection on Friday, leaving him at the back of the pack instead of on the pole for Sunday’s Atlanta Sprint Cup race. Kurt Busch will start on the pole.

HAMPTON, Ga. — Kyle Busch’s car failed a postqualifying inspection on Friday, leaving him at the back of the pack instead of on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

The ruling leaves brother Kurt Busch as the pole winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch ran strong through all three elimination rounds of qualifying and had the top speed at 191.582 mph before he was topped by Kyle’s fast lap of 191.668 mph in his No. 18 Toyota.

Kyle Busch is the defending Sprint Cup series champion.

Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, said a laser inspection revealed the rear toe, which affects alignment, on Kyle Busch’s car did not meet specifications.

Miller said Busch and his crew chief, Adam Stevens, do not face additional penalties.

Miller said the violation was found with the new laser test.

“This is a way to police that,” Miller said. “Teams asked for it. We instituted it and they didn’t pass.”

Miller said Kyle Busch’s car passed the same inspection before qualifying. Miller said more tolerance in the test is allowed following qualifying.

Jamie McMurray, who had the top speed in the second round, will start beside Kurt Busch on the front row, followed by Trevor Bayne and Ryan Newman.

Denny Hamlin, fresh off last week’s Daytona 500 win, was eliminated in the second round.