"This is our first test" - Kyle Busch speaks out after claiming RCR's first pole at Dover since 1982

Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch is set to start from the front row after winning his first pole of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series at Dover Motor Speedway.

Piloting the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro, Busch got his 34th career pole with a lap of 162.191 mph at the qualifying this Saturday. This also marks the first pole for the RCR team at Dover since 1982. The first-ever pole for RCR was by the NASCAR legend Ricky Rudd 42 years ago.

Technically, this will be Kyle Busch's second time starting at Dover, the first being in 2023 when the qualifying was washed out by rains. In the post-qualifying interview at Dover, Busch talked about the #8 team's current standings. He said:

"We started out really good. The first month was strong. We had some really good races there and just had other issues. But you're right, the last month or so has definitely been a struggle with speed. Talladega's a crapshoot anyways."

Busch then reminisced about his time last year at Dover:

"It's pretty funny. We were standing here talking about sitting on a pole here last year as well, too. Well, the rain out. And we started first. And then my over excitement of coming down pit road the first time, speeding on pit road, set us to the back, and didn't quite have the race we wanted. So I don't want to make that same mistake again this year. So already looking to that."

The 2-time Cup Series champion is currently in 17th place in the Cup Series standings with one top-five finish and is looking for a promising result at the Wurth 400 on Sunday. Busch further added:

"We're wanting to trend the right way and putting in the effort, putting in the hours, putting in all the extra work, and trying to figure out exactly what's going on and why. But this is our first test of it. We felt like Dover and Kansas would be a really good test of some stuff. And hey, what do you know? It worked. So let's go."

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The starting line-up for the 2024 Wurth 400 at Dover

The 11th NASCAR Cup Series race is set to start at Dover Motor Speedway, also known as "The Monster Mile".

A total of 37 drivers will compete on the one-mile concrete track. In the qualifying, Kyle Busch secured the first pole of his season with a lap speed of 162.191 mph. Ryan Blaney, the defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion, will share the front row with Busch after clocking a lap speed of 161.951 mph.

Here is the complete list of the grid line-up at the Wurth 400:

1. #8 - Kyle Busch
2. #12 - Ryan Blaney
3. #24 - William Byron
4. #45 - Tyler Reddick
5. #10 - Noah Gragson
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin
7. #14 - Chase Briscoe
8. #34 - Michael McDowell
9. #48 - Alex Bowman
10. #16 - A. J. Allmendinger
11. #2 - Austin Cindric
12. #4 - Josh Berry
13. #22 - Joey Logano
14. #31 - Daniel Hemric
15. #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
16. #23 - Bubba Wallace
17. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
18. #17 - Chris Buescher
19. #54 - Ty Gibbs
20. #77 - Carson Hocevar
21. #5 - Kyle Larson
22. #1 - Ross Chastain
23. #3 - Austin Dillon
24. #6 - Brad Keselowski
25. #7 - Corey LaJoie
26. #21 - Harrison Burton
27. #84 - Jimmie Johnson
28. #41 - Ryan Preece
29. #9 - Chase Elliott
30. #38 - Todd Gilliland
31. #99 - Daniel Suárez
32. #43 - Corey Heim
33. #20 - Christopher Bell
34. #42 - John Hunter Nemechek
35. #15 - Kaz Grala
36. #51 - Justin Haley
37. #71 - Zane Smith

Catch the NASCAR Cup Series drivers in action at the Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday at 2pm ET.