Kurt Busch’s return gathers speed in Fontana

Kurt Busch’s comeback from his season-opening suspension is gathering speed.

Busch won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, turning a lap of 185.142 mph in his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet to edge teammate Kevin Harvick.

Busch took another step forward Friday in his return from four months of off-track troubles involving his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of domestic assault. He wasn’t charged, but missed the first three races of this season under suspension.

Busch was reflective after claiming the 17th pole of his NASCAR career and his first since May 2013.

“This is a privilege to have a chance to drive at this top level,” Busch said. “When it’s taken away from you, or you have made a mistake and you don’t get a chance to go out there and do it on your terms, it’s tough. So I don’t have anything to prove. I have my job to do, though, and that’s to win races.”

Busch returned last week with a fifth-place finish at Phoenix even while he’s still adjusting to NASCAR’s new rules package. He then claimed the pole at Fontana for the track-record fourth time in his career, capitalizing on Stewart-Haas’ impressive engineering start to the season.

Busch said he is having success in the face of potential distraction by “just putting the blinders on and focusing on the car. It’s my love. It’s my passion. It’s what I do. I love to go out there and drive fast.”

Vickers sidelined

Brian Vickers has had a recurrence of blood clots and will step out of his Michael Waltrip Racing ride this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Brett Moffitt will return to the No. 55 Toyota as Vickers’ replacement.

Vickers missed the first two races of this year following offseason heart surgery.

The blood clots have been a persistent problem: Vickers missed the final five races of the 2013 season because he was placed on blood thinners to treat a clot in his right calf. He also missed 25 races during the 2010 season when clots were discovered in his legs and lungs.

German Grand Prix cut

The German Grand Prix has been cut from 2015 Formula One calendar after neither of the country’s two circuits were able to make a deal with series promoter Bernie Ecclestone.

The World Motor Sport Council said in a statement on Friday that the race was withdrawn because the commercial rights holder “and promoter did not reach agreement.”