Las Vegas Weekly

February 28, 2009 · 9 AM

Photo Gallery: Kyle and Kurt Busch shine on NASCAR’s Pole Day

By Robin Leach

Kurt Busch.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Kurt Busch’s prediction of victory to me 72 hours before tomorrow’s NASCAR race has gotten off to a good start with the qualifying rounds yesterday, where he wound up taking the second-place pole. However, the on-track rivalry with brother Kyle got an added spark when Kyle grabbed the first position pole!

(Click HERE for our coverage yesterday of Kurt’s prediction and his win at the Pole Position Raceway charity event his Kurt Busch Foundation organized and hosted.)

But track officials ruled after the qualifiers that Kyle in #18 must start tomorrow’s big race from the very back of the field after replacing an engine. That means Kurt moves to first place, and the big question that fans will have for 400 miles is if he will still be in front at race’s end!

Our contributing photographer and avid race fan Tom Donoghue captured these sensational photos of racers Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, Jimmie Johnson, Jack Roush and Juan Pablo Montoya, as well as Kurt and Kyle Busch.

Kyle, in fact, stole the show before accepting his Pole Award because he wound up being recruited as a ring bearer for two enthusiastic race fans who had planned a marriage ceremony right in Victory Lane. No honeymoon for this couple, though, until after today and tomorrow’s races!

Vegas DeLuxe will have full Pit Row photo coverage back here on Monday as soon as we can edit our way through the thousands of photos showing the race from start to finish -- and the prized trophy presentation to the winner! If Kurt’s prediction does come true, he says he won’t be able to do a full backwards flip in the standing position like reigning NASCAR champ Carl Edwards!

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