Kyle Busch Wins Inaugural Cup Race At Kentucky

 Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer


Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 9, 2011)

SPARTA, Ky. — What was Kyle Busch’s dominant impression of his victory in the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway?

It wasn’t that he’ll be written into the record book as the first Cup winner at the 1.5-mile track, the first speedway introduced into the series in 10 years.

No, Busch will remember Saturday’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky as the last thing he won on the way to his next race—in this case Sunday’s marquee Super Late Model event at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin.

That’s the way Busch thinks—win and move on.

In holding off fast-closing David Reutimann and Jimmie Johnson in a two-lap stretch run, Busch won for the third time this season, the 22nd time in his Cup career and the 99th time across NASCAR’s top three national series, third most all-time.

Even though he won two of the three events at Kentucky Speedway over the weekend—he won the Camping World Truck Series race Thursday—Busch wasn’t thinking about the numbers, not even that he had leap-frogged past Kevin Harvick (16th Saturday) and Carl Edwards (fifth) into the top spot in the series standings.

Asked what the most impressive part of the Kentucky win was to him, Busch replied, “That I won on the way to Slinger. I’ve got to go to Slinger (Sunday). I’m going to stay here tonight, chill out and get a good night’s sleep, get out of here in the morning and head up there and, hopefully, win a Late Model race.”

Saturday’s race wasn’t settled until Busch kept Johnson at bay on the last restart, clearing Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet off Turn 2. Reutimann restated in the fourth spot but charged forward, passing Johnson just short of the finish line on the final lap. Reutimann finished .179 seconds behind Busch.

Johnson said his inability to stay beside Busch on the next-to-last lap cost him a chance to win the race.

“I was able to hang with the 18 (Busch) inside of Turns 1 and 2, and he just cleared me going down the back,” Johnson said. “The outside lane had a little bit more momentum coming off of (Turn) 2 down the back. If I could have stayed inside of him, it would have been one heck of a finish at the end.

“But it didn’t happen that way, and then he cleared me and went on, and then I had my hands full with the 00 (Reutimann). David was probably the best car at the end, and if he had cleared me sooner, I think he would have been up there with the 18 racing for the win.”

Ryan Newman played pit strategy perfectly and came home fourth, followed by Edwards. Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon completed the top 10.

Busch had regained the lead during a cycle of green-flag stops late in the race, but a caution for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s blown left front tire slowed the race for the fifth time and set up a restart on Lap 260 of 267.

Busch pulled away, with Johnson chasing, but Clint Bowyer’s wreck in Turn 2 bought out the sixth caution on Lap 262 to bunch the field for a restart with two laps left.

During a 105-lap green-flag run that began on Lap 36 after a competition caution and included two rounds of pit stops, Busch opened a lead of more than eight seconds, but his advantage disappeared when NASCAR called a caution on Lap 140 for debris on the backstretch.

Keselowski and Tony Stewart opted not to pit under the caution and restarted on the front row on Lap 147. Earnhardt, who had fallen off the lead lap during the long green-flag run, got his lap back on a wave-around, and a quick caution on Lap 151 gave him a chance to pit for fuel and tires.

Keselowski and Stewart ran 1-2 after a restart on Lap 158, but both drivers had to pit for fuel early in the next cycle, and Busch reclaimed the top spot when Keselowski brought the No. 2 Dodge to pit road on Lap 186.

When Jamie McMurray’s engine erupted like Vesuvius on Lap 200, bringing out the fourth caution of the race, the lead-lap cars were back on similar pit cycles.

Busch, who led a race-high 125 laps, opened a four-point margin in the series standings over second-place Edwards and a 10-point cushion over third-place Harvick.

Note: When the green flag waved to start the race, cars carrying fans to the track were backed up on I-71, trying to get to the parking lots. Midway through the event, Kentucky Speedway G.M. Mark Simendinger issued the following statement: “We’ve had an overwhelming response to our inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400. We know we had challenges related to traffic. We’re already planning improvements and looking forward to a much better situation for next year’s event.”

Busch Outwits Whitt for Dover Truck Win

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

DOVER, Del.—Victory in Friday's Lucas Oil 200 wasn't the only thing Kyle Busch gained at Dover International Speedway.

He also gained a healthy dose of respect for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie and second-place finisher Cole Whitt.

Pulling away from Whitt's No. 60 Red Bull Chevrolet after a restart on Lap 198 of 200, Busch won the race under caution when Nelson Piquet Jr. and Timothy Peters wrecked on the final lap.

Busch picked up his third truck series victory in five starts this season. Busch won for the second time at Dover—becoming the first repeat winner here—and for the 27th time in the series.

Matt Crafton came home third and claimed the series points lead. Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick ran fourth and fifth, respectively.

"Cole Whitt did a really nice job," Busch said in victory lane. "I think he's got something going on over there. The guys do a really nice job, and he's fast. He's quick week in and week out, and this is the first one he's really contended for—that I've been in, anyway."

After a long cycle of green-flag pit stops, Busch held a lead of nearly 12 seconds over Ron Hornaday Jr. when NASCAR called the fifth caution of the race for debris on the backstretch. Jason White and Whitt, who took two tires to Busch's four under the yellow, took the green flag side-by-side on Lap 161.

Whitt powered his No. 60 Chevrolet into the lead after the restart, with Busch in pursuit. Whitt opened an advantage of roughly one second before Justin Lofton's spin on the backstretch on Lap 178 brought out caution No. 6 and bunched the field for a restart on Lap 184.

Busch charged into the lead from the inside lane on the restart and held it for a lap before Craig Goess' wreck caused the seventh caution. Not surprisingly, Busch chose the bottom lane for the restart on Lap 192 and quickly pulled away.

"I snookered him (Whitt) on the second-to-last restart, and I got him a little bit there, but on that last restart, he was right with me. We ran down into Turn 1 side-by-side. I chose the bottom because I felt like, running through (Turns) 1 and 2 wide open, it was the faster way around."

But Parker Kligerman, who had run in the top 10 for most of the race, spun and tagged the outside wall under close racing with Whitt on Lap 193. The resulting caution forced the final restart on Lap 198.

Though his first win eluded him, Whitt had much to celebrate.

"Running second to Kyle—a good points day for us—it's like winning the points for us," Whitt said. "We'll take that and move on and go to Charlotte (May 20) and try to win one there."

Busch and Harvick, both on probation for an altercation at last Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Darlington, competed without incident on Friday. The drivers raced for the lead after a restart on Lap 81, with Busch getting the advantage, but a subsequent pit-road speeding penalty to Harvick separated them for the rest of the race.

Kyle Busch Wins Second Straight Nationwide Race of Season in California

Photo Credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 FONTANA, Calif.—Kyle Busch drove it like he stole it over the final 13 Laps at Auto Club Speedway, because that’s exactly what happened in Saturday’s Royal Purple 300 Nationwide Series race.

About the only thing he didn’t get was a grand larceny charge.

Thanks to a two-tire call with 13 laps left, Busch exited the pits with a five-second lead over runner-up Carl Edwards and won a race in a No. 18 Toyota that was, at best, a third-place car.

Busch’s victory kept a litany of streaks intact. Busch won his third straight event in NASCAR’s top two national series, his third straight Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway and the seventh straight Nationwide race at the 2-mile track for Joe Gibbs Racing, dating to Tony Stewart’s victory in 2008.

The win, Busch’s fourth in the past five races at Fontana, gave him 46 career wins in the series, three short of the series record of Mark Martin, who finished eighth Saturday.

"I think it’s pretty satisfying when you can win one like that," Busch said. "I mean, it’s great to go out there and kick everybody’s butt and win the race and just come to the media center and go home. But today, it’s a little bit more fun.

"I don’t know why, but it’s like you’re working your butt off all day long, and it’s like ‘Aw, man, it’s going to be a third today. That kind of stings, but it’s still decent.’ And then you end up making a pit call like that, where nobody else does it, and you’re like, ‘Damn, we’re going to win this thing,’ and you get all jacked up."

Busch took the lead during an exchange of late-race pit stops and expanded it with the two-tire call on Lap 137 of 150. When Busch exited the pits with new right-side tires, he had the five-second lead over Edwards.

Though Edwards and third-place Kevin Harvick closed fast on four new tires during the final 12 laps, they ran out of time. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran fourth and took the lead in the series standings by six points over Jason Leffler (11th Saturday). Elliott Sadler came home fifth.

Harvick, who pitted on Lap 134, said he never considered a two-tire call.

"Two tires never even crossed my mind," Harvick said. "If I had to do it again, I’d probably pit earlier and probably get on pit road a little harder. Whether it would have changed the outcome or not, I don’t know. Still a good day for us."

Edwards, who came to the pits on Lap 132, wondered whether someone might try two tires but not in time to do anything about it.

"I did not think of two tires until we were jacked up on the left side of the car," Edwards said. "I thought, ‘Man, this is kind of close to the end. I wonder if somebody will take two, but I didn’t really think about it more than that.

"I guess it’s a little bit of shame that it didn’t come down to a real battle at the end, but it very well could have. A little bit of a slower stop on Kyle’s car or a caution or something like that, and it was going to be an insane finish."

Harvick was first off pit road during the fifth caution—caused by Jeremy Clements’ spin in Turn 2—and took the green flag for a Lap 98 restart. Stenhouse, however, surged from fourth to the top spot on Lap 99.

Stenhouse, who had perhaps the best short-run car in the field, held the lead until Edwards regained it on Lap 109. But Harvick began to show his strength as the green-flag run progressed, and the driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet made short work of Edwards on Lap 115 to pace the field.


Royal Purple 300
2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series
Auto Club Speedway
Top-10 Finishers

1) 18 Kyle Busch Z-Line Designs Toyota
2) 60 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing
3) 33 Kevin Harvick Rheem Pool and Spa Heaters Chevrolet
4) 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford
5) 2 Elliott Sadler Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet
6) 16 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7) 20 Joey Logano GameStop Toyota
8) 32 Mark Martin Dollar General Chevrolet
9) 88 Aric Almirola Ragu/Food 4 Less Chevrolet
10) 22 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Dodge

Kyle Busch Nets 13th NASCAR Nationwide Win of 2010

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/ Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(November 20, 2010)

 

HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Kyle Busch pulled away from Kevin Harvick during a 23-lap run to the finish to win Saturday’s Ford 300 Nationwide Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

Harvick ran second, followed by 2010 series champion Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne.

 

With his 13th victory in 29 starts this season, Busch extended his single-season win record. The victory was his 43rd in the Nationwide Series, leaving him five behind all-time leader Mark Martin.

 

Danica Patrick qualified fifth, pitted early and led four laps—her first of the season—by staying out while others pitted under caution on Lap 24. Soon after a restart on Lap 28, however, she dropped back to 21st in the running order. She finished a career-best 19th in her 13th start in the series.

 

After winning the owners championship in his own No. 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night, Busch secured the Nationwide owners’ title for Joe Gibbs Racing on Saturday. Stenhouse clinched Raybestos rookie of the year honors.

 

Notes: Keselowski scored his 26th top-five finish of the year, a single-season record. … The victory was Gibbs’ 49th in the past three seasons. Busch has 31 of those. ... Busch led 153 of 200 laps.

 

 

NASCAR Nationwide Series

Ford 300

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race Results 

 

Pos #  |  Car #  | Driver | Sponsor/Car Make

1. 18 Kyle Busch Z-Line Designs Toyota
2. 33 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John's Chevrolet
3. 22 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Dodge
4. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. # CitiFinancial Ford
5. 17 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Ford
6. 60 Carl Edwards Copart.com Ford
7. 20 Joey Logano GameStop / MASTIFF Toyota
8. 62 Brendan Gaughan Aspen Dental Toyota
9. 98 Paul Menard Richmond / Menards Ford 200
10. 10 Jason Leffler ABF U-Pack Moving Toyota
11. 12 Justin Allgaier Verizon Wireless Dodge
12. 99 Martin Truex Jr. Out! Pet Care Toyota
13. 42 Parker Kligerman GetMoreVacations.com / Bandit Chippers Dodge
14. 32 Reed Sorenson Dollar General Toyota
15. 66 Steve Wallace 5-hour Energy Toyota
16. 11 David Reutimann Rexall / Dollar General Toyota
17. 84 Cole Whitt Red Bull Toyota
18. 09 Brian Scott Shore Lodge Toyota
19. 7 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
20. 23 Robert Richardson Jr. R3 Motorsports Chevrolet
21. 26 Sam Hornish Jr. Alliance Parts Dodge
22. 05 David Starr Cash America Chevrolet
23. 34 Tony Raines BeaStockCarDriver.com Chevrolet
24. 15 Michael Annett Germain.com Toyota
25. 49 Mark Green Anderson's Maple Syrup Chevrolet 
26. 21 Morgan Shepherd Victory In Jesus Racing Chevrolet
27. 35 Jason Keller TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet
28. 28 Kenny Wallace Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet
29. 16 Colin Braun Con-way Freight Ford
30. 01 Mike Wallace Suncore Industries Chevrolet
31. 40 Mike Bliss Westerman Companies Chevrolet
32. 88 Aric Almirola GT Vodka Chevrolet
33. 27 Chase Mattioli CollegeComplete.com / GreenTreeProfit.com Ford
34. 92 Brian Keselowski K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge
35. 87 Joe Nemechek Gator.com Chevrolet
36. 70 Shelby Howard BlackFlyDay.com Chevrolet
37. 24 Eric McClure Hefty Odor Block Ford
38. 38 Kasey Kahne Great Clips Chevrolet 
39. 04 Jeremy Clements Boudreaux's Butt Paste Chevrolet
40. 91 David Gilliland D'Hondt-Humphrey Motorsports Chevrolet
41. 56 Kevin Lepage Sunshine Plumbing/MitchellSwabackCharities Toyota
42. 96 Dennis Setzer K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge
43. 36 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet

Kyle Busch Wins 9th NASCAR Nationwide Race at Iowa

By Lee Montgomery
Special to Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(July 31, 2010)

NEWTON, Iowa—Even when he doesn't get any practice, Kyle Busch still wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Busch won his ninth NASCAR Nationwide race of 2010, his sixth in his last seven starts and 39th of his career by dominating the U.S. Cellular 250 in front of 55,988 fans at Iowa Speedway.

"I really like these cars," Busch said. "It's fun, man. I've really grown accustomed to these things and have learned how to drive them. You can really drive the Nationwide cars hard because they don't have a whole lot of horsepower, so you can really try to make up a lot by being able to get more out of the car, driver-wise."

Busch missed Saturday morning's rain-delayed practice, making it to Iowa from Pocono in time for qualifying. In his first laps in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he earned the second position. Brad Coleman practiced Busch's car.

"It would've been better if I could've sat on the pole," Busch said. "Darn Trevor Bayne."

Bayne may have won the pole, but Busch's car was clearly dominant in the race, even without Busch practicing it. Busch led four times for 209 laps.

"It says a lot about the team, it says a lot about my confidence as a driver and my confidence in the team that they can prepare great racecars—and also (backup driver) Brad Coleman and what he does. I told (crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) before the start of this thing, 'Man, if I win this thing, I just might not practice any more.' I think I screw it up more when I practice it."

Busch restarted sixth after a pit stop for four tires with 42 laps to go, passing four cars in one lap to move to second behind Kevin Harvick, who changed only right-side tires.

"We got five, six cars in between ourselves and Kyle, and that's really what we wanted to do," Harvick said. "We just didn't expect him to pass them all in one lap. That was our best chance, to try to get in front of him, and hopefully have him get caught up in traffic."

Busch passed Harvick with 24 laps to go and pulled away for the victory, spoiling Nationwide's Dash 4 Cash program. Since Busch was ineligible because he hasn't run all the Nationwide Series races this year, an eligible driver can win $75,000 if he wins at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 6.

Harvick ended up second, with Jason Leffler third, with points leader Brad Keselowski fourth and Bayne fifth. Sixth through 10th were Steve Wallace, Michael Annett, Justin Allgaier, Matt DiBenedetto and Carl Edwards.

Iowa's second NASCAR Nationwide race saw two red flags in the first 100 laps. The first red was for Reed Sorenson's wreck in Turn 1 on Lap 42, caused by a melted bead on the right-front tire. The second came 51 laps later, when Brian Keselowski nailed a prone Colin Braun in Turn 2.

Braun, who wrecked his primary car in qualifying, had spun off the corner before getting slammed by Keselowski. Three other cars were involved, but none of the drivers were hurt.

Bayne became the youngest driver in series history to win three consecutive poles as he claimed the top spot for the 250-lap race. Bayne is the fourth driver to accomplish the feat and the first in 18 years. The others were Sam Ard, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip.

Brad Keselowski extended his series points lead over Edwards to 231 points.

Kyle Busch Wins NASCAR Nationwide Series Friday Night Showdown at Chicagoland

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

JOLIET, Ill. (July 9, 2010) — Kyle Busch beat Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano in a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win Friday night’s Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Busch got a break when series points leader Brad Keselowski ran out of fuel on the final caution lap before the last green-flag run, which began with a restart on Lap 202. Keselowski’s misfortune allowed Busch to move to the front of the outside line, beside his teammate.

Busch was able to pin Logano to the bottom of the track and clear his teammate for the win. The race ended under caution because of a wreck on the frontstretch after Busch took the while flag to begin the final lap.

The victory was Busch’s seventh of the season and 37th all time, breaking a tie for second with Kevin Harvick on the all-time list. Braun Racing’s Brian Scott, David Reutimann and Jason Leffler finished third through fifth, respectively, as Toyotas swept the top five positions.

Danica Patrick finished a career-best 24th in her fifth series start.

Busch, who led a race-high 110 laps, took the lead for the first time on Lap 10 and dominated the race—despite a pit-road speeding call that required a pass-through penalty under green—until NASCAR threw a caution for debris in Turn 2 on Lap 141.

Logano took the lead on the subsequent restart on Lap 148 and remained out front in clean air. “It’s over,” Busch moaned on Lap 172, trailing Logano by nearly a second. “There ain’t going to be another caution. The freakin’ race is over.”

As it turned out, Busch was wrong. NASCAR called a caution for debris on Lap 185, and Busch pitted for four tires and a track bar adjustment designed to loosen the handling of his Toyota. He got his chance to win the race when Trevor Bayne slammed the Turn 1 wall on Lap 196.

Kurt Busch is Peachy After Winning Sprint Cup Race in Atlanta

Photo Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Image

Referred to as Hot-lanta for the region's intense summer heat, NASCAR has always scheduled a race before spring on the 1.54 mile speedway has classically allowed Atlanta Motor Speedway to host an early race to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour. On the first week of March, some past events would see the grounds of Atlanta Motor Speedway blanketed with snow. However, for the running of the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500, a 60 degree Fahrenheit day brightened the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars paint schemes with constant late winter sunlight.


Photo Credit: Brian Lawdermilk/WHP -Pool/Getty Image for NASCAR

Taking a popular pole position after a Friday night qualifying session, Dale Earnhardt Jr led the 43-car NASCAR Sprint Cup series field to the green flag with the Amp Energy #88 Chevrolet. Earnhardt's prime starting position would not even net the Hendrick-owned Sprint Cup car a single recorded lap in the lead. Asserting some muscle on the outside front row, the #18 M&M Toyota piloted by Kyle Busch flew around Earnhardt for the race lead on lap 1 holding the top spot for 13 circuit. Kyle Busch's stint in the Atlanta lead would be broken by the fast #9 Ford of Kasey Kahne. Coming off a 9th place finish in Las Vegas after starting the 2010 year with two disastrous start, Kahne and the Richard Petty Motorsports team is eager to reverse their racing fortunes. Atlanta Motor Speedway would in fact result a memorable turning point for the 4-car Ford effort.


Photo Credit: Geoff Burke Getty Image for NASCAR

Busch recaptured the lead of the Kobalt Tools 500 just before a caution for debris forced the field to slow. With the field bunched on the restart, the jockeying for position figured heavily on the very brief green flag period which ended 2 laps later. Out of turn 1 of lap 43, an aggressive #12 Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski nosed into the rear of Carl Edwards driving a "retro-themed" #99 Ford (Edward's paint scheme and Scotts Lawn Care sponsor was a throwback to his maiden 2005 Cup victory. Five years being classified as retro is quite a stretch). As Edward's Ford swung up the track, he collide with the Toyota of Joey Logano damaging both machines as they grind the outer wall. While Logano and Edwards would require time-consuming repairs, Keselowski faired better even being a firm front-runner as the race endured.

After the lap 43 restart, a new contender for the day emerged in Atlanta as Penske Racing's lead driver Kurt Busch added some intensity to the Kobalt Tools 500. Starting 11th, Busch advanced his #2 Miller Lite Dodge skillfully, taking the race lead for the first time on lap 82 thanks to a well-executed pit stop as the majority of lead lap cars rushed for crew service. Between Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne, the two drivers dominance kept the front of the race familiar leading 273 laps on the day. Coupled with the #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin's #11 Toyota and Juan Pablo Montoya driving the #42 Chevrolet, the top-5 was secured between the same five cars following the first 300 miles.

Another car many hoped would be a top-5 contender through the day was, of course, the pole-sitting driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Showing the ability to hold onto the top-10 in the Kobalt Tools 500's initial stage, the #88 fell to misfortune as Earnhardt began reporting a suspected loose rear wheel. Making it to the pits for unscheduled service, the #88 Chevrolet continued but was well down the race's running order. The problem compounded when a caution was thrown just a few laps later when Hendrick teammate Mark Martin spun when his #5 blew a tire. Interesting enough, almost every Hendrick-supported team (including the Stewart-Haas Racing cars) suffered some kind of tire problem. Mired around 31st position through the mid stages of the Atlanta race, Dale Earnhardt Jr and the #88 AMP Energy Chevrolet never returned to winning contention. However, he was able to use late race fitration to the competition as well as a wave-around opportunity to cycle back into the lead lap.

As closed on its final 2 laps, the effects of an earlier race incident weighed on Carl Edwards. At lap 323, the #12 car of Keselowski came into sight of the Roush-Fenway #99 Ford walking wounded with fresh memories of the lap 43 accident. As the two cars shot out of turn 4, Edwards might have viewed this as a window of opportunity open for paying back Brad Keselowski. Heading down the Atlanta Motor Speedway frontstretch, the #99 Ford purposefully swiped the left rear corner of the #12 Dodge as speeds reached over 170 miles per hour. As the #12 of Brad Keselowski was sent sideways towards the infield grass, air caught the underside lifting Keselowski's Dodge precariously airborne. Off the ground, the Dodge slammed into the outer retaining wall impacting the driver's side A-pillar section of the Dodge's roof. As the car rested upright, the fate of the driver was an immediate concern. Thankfully as the window nest dropped, it came as a relief (even to Carl Edwards) that Brad Keselowski was conscious as he hopped to the ambulance. Based on the evidence the Edwards intended to turn Keselowski, NASCAR ruled to park Carl Edwards for the remaining laps. There also exists the possibility that NASCAR may penalize Edwards farther as they are continuing to review the incident.

As the wreckage of the #12 Dodge had to be removed, the race was to be settled by a green-white-checker restart. With many of the leaders pitting, #33 Chevrolet of Clint Bowyer and #98 Ford of Paul Menard elected to stay out gambling on track position. Restarting the 339th lap (5 laps passed the race's scheduled distance), the Menard and Bowyer were quickly passed by Kurt Busch. As the #2 Penske Racing Dodge prepared to roll to victory, a 7-car wreck in the middle of turn 3 and 4 was sparked when Jamie McMurray's #1 Chevrolet took a low entry into the 3rd corner sliding out of control. Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr were among the drivers collected in the late race crash.

Because of timing of the wreck, the race was thrown under caution just before Busch took the white flag. Disappointed but determined to win the Kobalt Tools 500, Kurt Busch's Dodge launched on the second attempt of a green-white-checker restart leading the final 2 laps to win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Peforming his celebration at driving in reverse, Busch, the #2 Penske Racing pit crew, and the car owner Roger Penske were present in victory lane shortly after Kurt Busch finished.
.
In second place of the Kobalt Tools 500, Matt Kenseth provided Roush-Fenway Racing team with the strongest run of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Behind Kenseth, Juan Pablo Montoya ran an outstanding Atlanta race where the Colombian driver was even eyed for victory. Kasey Kahne finished fourth while strategy helped Paul Menard claim an admirable top-5 position. Not only did Kahne and Menard register their best finishes for the new season, these cars share Richard Petty Motorsport affiliation. Just behind the pair the Richard Petty Motorsport Ford team became a trio as AJ Allmendinger brought the #43 car home in 6th place.

Other cars claiming notable runs include Kevin Harvick who emerged from 35th to 9th, Scott Speed in 10th outcoming a 32rd place qualifying effort, Marcos Ambrose in 11th and Regan Smith who brought his #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet in 14th place. Also worth mentioning is the effort of Dale Earnhardt Jr and #88 Hendrick Motorsport team. Through the race's latter stage, the AMP Energy car rose to 15th place recovering from two laps down.

Elevating himself up 9 spots in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup points after 4 races, Kurt Busch sits 10th overall 142 points behind Kevin Harvick who continues leading the standings for the 3rd week in a row. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer currently follows Harvick, all within 86 points. The NASCAR Sprint Cup series has an off-weekend this coming week but will return on the 21st of March to run the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Kobalt Tools 500
Atlanta Motor Speedway

Pos # | Car # | Driver | Sponsor/Car Make

1) 2 Kurt Busch       Miller Lite Dodge
2) 17 Matt Kenseth     Valvoline Ford
3) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet 
4) 9 Kasey Kahne       Budweiser Ford 
5) 98 Paul Menard      CertainTeed/Menards Ford
6) 43 A J Allmendinger Best Buy/Insignia Ford 
7) 83 Brian Vickers    Red Bull Toyota 
8) 16 Greg Biffle      U.S. Census Ford 
9) 29 Kevin Harvick     Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet 
10) 82 Scott Speed      Red Bull Toyota 
11) 47 Marcos Ambrose    Lance/Tom's Toyota 
12) 48 Jimmie Johnson         Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet
13) 14 Tony Stewart     Office Depot Chevrolet 
14) 78 Regan Smith      Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 
15) 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet 
16) 21 Bill Elliott       Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 
17) 39 Ryan Newman      Tornados Chevrolet 
18) 24 Jeff Gordon       DuPont/National Guard Chevrolet
19) 19 Elliott Sadler         Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford 
20) 31 Jeff Burton      Caterpillar Chevrolet 
21) 11 Denny Hamlin     FedEx Office Toyota 
22) 71 Bobby Labonte    TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet Chevrolet
23) 33 Clint Bowyer     BB&T Chevrolet 
24) 36 Mike Bliss        Wave Energy Drink Chevrolet 
25) 18 Kyle Busch       M&M's Toyota 
26) 38 David Gilliland  Charter Air Transport/Taco Bell Ford 
27)     56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Toyota 
28) 77 Sam Hornish Jr.   Mobil 1 Dodge 
29)     1 Jamie McMurray         Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet 
30) 34 Travis Kvapil     Long John Silver's Ford 
31) 37 Kevin Conway      Extenze Ford 
32) 26 Boris Said       Sacred Power/Southern Pride Trucking Ford 
33) 5 Mark Martin      Hendrickcars.com/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 
34) 13 Max Papis        GEICO Toyota 
35) 20 Joey Logano      Home Depot Toyota 
36) 12 Brad Keselowski         Mopar/FLO TV Dodge Dodge 
37) 6 David Ragan      UPS Ford 
38) 87 Joe Nemechek      FrontRowJoe.com Toyota 
39) 99 Carl Edwards     Scotts Ford
40) 00 David Reutimann         Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota 
41) 66 Dave Blaney      PRISM Motorsports Toyota 
42) 55 Michael McDowell PRISM Motorsports Toyota
43) 7 Robby Gordon     Warner Music Nashville/Blake Shelton Toyota

NASCAR Nationwide: Kyle Busch Wins Big in Ford 300; Taking Race and Championship

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

In mid-day qualifying, the #60 Ford belonging to 2008 Ford 300 winner Carl Edwards took the top spot ahead of Ryan Newman and Jeff Burton. In spite of earning pole Carl Edwards knew that his efforts to capture the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Championship were exhausted the moment him and Kyle Busch took the green flag for the Ford 300. Needing simply to start the race, the #18 Toyota of Busch climbed his very first championship in a major NASCAR division. Coming off a frustrating Friday night finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the newly-acclaimed 2009 Nationwide Series champion focused on an improved performance in Saturday's race. While Edwards led the first laps, Busch's #18 Z-Line Toyota quickly charged forward from his 5th place starting position. On a restart from a lap 9 caution for Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch took the lead on lap 12 for the 1st of 7 times during the 300 mile race distance.

While Kyle Busch rode comfortably at the front, Sprint Cup teammate Denny Hamlin (driving the #11 CJM Toyota for this race) would use the finale of the NASCAR Nationwide 2009 schedule to back up a threat he made last week in Phoenix. Holding strong hatred for JR Motorsport's driver Brad Keselowski's aggressive bumping on a lap 157 restart that claimed Hamlin's car, Denny Hamlin exact wording in a post race interview said "There's a lot of guys that have a lot of chips that they're going to cash in, I'm just going to be the first to the pay window". Aptly enough for Hamlin, he found the #88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet on track by lap 36, cashing in his chips on an incident of contact out of the 4th corner. Spinning out Brad Keselowski, the #88 car avoided contact with the walls as he sled down the frontstretch. While Denny Hamlin considered himself entitled to payback NASCAR, having spoken with both drivers following the Phoenix Nationwide race, didn't share Hamlin's logic penalizing the #11 car one lap for the incident. Getting rewarded a rewarded the free pass after a later caution, Denny Hamlin did rebound to a 5th place finish. As for Brad Keselowski, his final race for JR Motorsports ended in 12th position after the early race drama.

On lap 47, Busch's car give up the lead to a suddenly revived Jeff Burton wheeling the #29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Burton held the lead until a lap 81 caution for debris. With the lead changing 20 times through the Ford 300, Joe Gibbs Racing allies Kyle Busch and Joey Logano trading the first position 4 times between lap 86 to lap 101.

As they battled, the Ford Fusion of Carl Edwards set himself in prime passing position taking lap 102 and holding up to the lead for 34 circuits. After 64 caution-free rotations around the Homestead-Miami Speedway, caution flew for the 6th time for the #6 car of Eric Darrell brushing the outer wall. Benefiting from a gain in track position, the deciding restart for lap 163 allowed Kyle Busch able to size up Edwards making the pass one lap later. Surviving a final challenge of a final restart after a lap 186 caution, Kyle Busch blazed to the finish line on lap 200 capturing the last race of the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide schedule and 9th for Busch this season.

Winning it all through the Ford 300, a jovial Kyle Busch finally finds cause to celebrate in what is this young driver's biggest victory in history able to wave both the checkered flag and championship flag after the 2009 campaign.


NASCAR Nationwide Series
Ford 300

1. Kyle Busch #18 Toyota
2. Carl Edwards #60 Ford
3. Jeff Burton #29 Chevrolet
4. Joey Logano #20 Toyota
5. Denny Hamlin #11 Toyota
6. David Ruttimann #32 Toyota
7. Ryan Newman#33 Chevrolet
8. Steve Wallace #66 Chevrolet
9. Scott Speed #99 Toyota
10. Matt Kenseth #16 Ford
    

Kyle Busch Repeats NASCAR Truck Win With Nationwide Victory

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR


Kyle Busch did the two-step in Texas Motor Speedway victory lane for second time this weekend cruising to the checkered flag during the 200 lap O'Reilly Challenge for the NASCAR Nationwide series. Taking his #51 Toyota Tundra to victory in the WinStar World Casino 350 after dicing with Ron Hornaday and holding off a late race charge from Matt Crafton, Kyle Busch started in 6th place in his Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Nationwide series Toyota roughly 14 hours after concluding the truck series festivities. As Kyle Busch found the #18 Z-Line/WWE Raw Toyota to his liking, he quickly overhauled polesitter Matt Kenseth on lap 11 and would lead 179 of the race's 200 laps.

With Kyle Busch performing yet another driving clinic in his brilliantly-prepped Nationwide Toyota, the rest of the field fought amongst themselves. The 2nd place RCR #29 Chevrolet deserves honourable mention not only for being the best of the rest. With Jeff Burton feeling too hurt to drive the #29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet after a Friday Sprint Cup crash, the car was placed in the hands of RCR teammate Casey Mears. Mears delivered a stellar run for the team which could only help his own 2010 prospects as his Sprint Cup ride with RCR is effectively gone after this season.

Though leadership battles are seldom during the O'Reilly Challenge, enough action deeper in the field would contribute to 7 cautions including ones for Rookie of the year contender Justin Allgaier and Busch's younger teammate Joey Logano. Justin Allgaier rim-rode his #12 Verizon Dodge along the turn 2 wall losing control of the race car out of the corner. Sliding down the backstretch, Michael McDowell and Mike Wallace would be swept up by the spinning Allgaier. Driving amid a personal loss of his grandfather, Joey Logano ran well in the NASCAR Nationwide race until his #20 Toyota's left rear tire exploded down the Texas Motor Speedway backstretch on lap 152. Traveling at a speed of about 170 miles per hour, Joey Logano was hard pressed to save the from impact with the safer barrier in turn 3. While the #20 WWE Toyota took a rough body slam, Logano was thankfully unhurt.

As only two races remain, Carl Edwards is seeing his hopes for a second Nationwide Championship slip away. Though fighting to secure a 9th place finish at Texas, Busch's points lead over the 2nd place Edwards has grown to 272 markers. In fact, Carl Edwards' bigger will be to hold off the charge of Brad Keselowski who sits only 20 points back 3rd in the Nationwide points. Brad Keselowski has a good race running at the front for much of the day and even grabbed the lead briefly for lap leading bonus points (an advantage he gained over Carl Edwards on the overall points standings). Keselowski finished a steady 5th place at Texas Motor Speedway and will be looking forward to his first run in a Penske Dodge in tomorrow's Sprint Cup event.

In NASCAR Nationwide racing, the win at Texas Motor Speedway was the younger Busch brother's fourth straight win at Texas and his 8th victory on the 2009 schedule.