Tuesday
Kyle Busch Blazes in Martinsville But Win Three, Not To Be
Press Release
The Series was able to qualify Saturday morning despite the rain and heavy storms looming in the area where Busch posted a time of 20.166 seconds at a speed of 93.901 mph placing him in the 11th- place position on the starting grid for the 250 lap race. But just as the drivers got into their trucks that afternoon the rain came canceling the event until Monday.
From the drop of the green flag Busch worked his way through traffic to the seventh place position by the first caution on lap 13. Busch reported that the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra was “tight in the center of the corner”.
Despite his needs for adjustments, Busch managed to control the race truck moving to the fourth place position by his first pit stop on lap 64 on the.526-mile short track in Martinsville, Virginia.
Busch came into the pits for four fresh Goodyear Tires, a wedge and track bar adjustment. He returned to the pits on lap 65 for fuel. The Miccosukee Resort team believed they could go to the end of the race with the number of cautions occurring on that load of fuel but Busch would have to try to conserve during the event. Busch’s pit cycle sent him to the 28th place position for the restart on lap 70 but he quickly advanced to the 16th-place by lap 90.
When the caution flag flew once again, Busch stayed out for valuable track position while other leaders pitted placing him in the second place position for the restart on lap 98. Busch took the lead on lap 101 holding it for a total of 139 laps until lap 240 surrendering it to NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, only after a fierce on track battle.
The jockeying for position with Harvick caused heavy quarter panel damage and a left side tire rub on the Billy Ballew Motorsports Tundra. While under caution on lap 244, Busch tried to use the apron of the track to bend out the fender so not to have to pit for tires. NASCAR officials saw the action as crossing the pit road commitment line therefore, penalizing him. The penalty sent Busch from the second place position to the tail end of the longest line for the green/white/checkered flag restart relegating him to a 17th-place finish.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is on hiatus until Saturday, April 24, 2009 where they will take to the track at the Kansas Speedway. Toyota All-Star Showdown driver Brian Ickler will step in the No. 51 Miccosukee Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch.
- Billy Ballew Motorsports Press Release
Article Tags: Press Release, Truck Series
Kyle has a compassion for winning and his on track driving proves that but his post race for the lack of a better word hissy fits need to be calmed down. One day he going to have to realize that races are not always going to go his way. His post race actions on Monday could have been handled a tad better than the manner in which he handled it. His penalty was no different than the penalty Jr received at Daytona. In NASCAR an inch might as well be mile.