RICHMOND, VA. ? Kyle Busch and 13 others christened Richmond International Raceway’s new asphalt surface with the fastest speeds in the history of Busch series qualifying on the three-quarter-mile oval.

Busch turned the fastest lap at 129.348 mph and earned his third pole of the season in the series. That lap obliterated Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s qualifying mark of 126.868, which had stood since September 2002.

Busch credited a test session he ran last week, along with about 20 other drivers. He learned how best to navigate the new surface, and said he had the right setup in his Chevrolet from the outset Thursday.

“When we came here during that test in the morning we were absolutely out to lunch,” he said. “It was definitely good that we were able to learn some things. All we did was make a few changes at the shop.”

The pole made the 19-year-old brother of Nextel Cup driver Kurt Busch the youngest driver to win a pole at Richmond. Nextel Cup regular Jamie McMurray earned the spot outside on the front row with a lap at 129.211 in a Dodge.