NASCAR writers have virtually memorized the locations of the letters to Kyle Busch’s name on their keyboards, as he has been the story of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. It is safe to say that he is in the zone.
Last fall, Jimmie Johnson appeared unassailable as he won four of the final five races of the season en route to his second Sprint Cup championship. This year, Kyle Busch has amassed eight wins in the season’s first 22 races. Busch joins Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman as drivers that have won eight or more races in a single season this entire decade, except he accomplished it a lot earlier in the season.
Busch started from the pole after qualifying was rained out. NASCAR set the starting grid by the Sprint Cup owner’s standings. Dale Earnhardt Jr, who stared in the second position, appeared to have the car to beat in the early segment of the race, as he led 28 of the first 29 laps. However, once the green flag pit stops cycled around, it was none other than Busch out in front with Johnson in hot pursuit.
Busch would eventually hold off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart in the closing laps to clinch his eighth win of the season. He won both Sprint Cup road course events in 2008.
“I was racing against the same stuff with Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing so I knew it was going to be hard to beat Tony. I knew getting a good start (restart) was going to be good,” said the Sprint Cup series championship leader.
Busch pulled away from Stewart on the final restart with five laps to go.
The win was especially gratifying for Kyle Busch after four-time champion Jeff Gordon toyed with his mind. Gordon implied that he felt as if Busch was losing his edge, and that he was fortunate to have all of the bonus points from winning earlier in the year.
“I’m sorry, what slump? They can keep trying to play these mind games. We’ll just keep on winning,” was Busch’s response as he crossed the finish line.
On lap 82, a wreck initiated by Michael McDowell and David Gilliland cause a major pileup coming off the final turn. Among those who were casualties in the carnage were Bobby Labonte, who was transported to a local hospital, Dave Blaney, Max Papis, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemechek, Sam Hornish Jr, and Reed Sorenson.
The hospital cleared and released Labonte on Sunday evening.
Marcos Ambrose rewarded Wood Brothers with a third place effort. Ambrose won his first Nationwide Series event on Saturday. Juan Pablo Montoya finished fourth, and Martin Truex Jr rounded out the top five.
Matt Kenseth is back among the top twelve in the Sprint Cup standings as he owns a 22-point advantage of thirteenth place driver Clint Bowyer.
Quote of the week
Marcos Ambrose on his weekend in Watkins Glen
“These two races here feel like I’m on a Mediterranean holiday. Because the stress and strain of an oval track for me, where I feel like I haven’t quite mastered the trade, where here (on a road course) I feel comfortable in my surroundings. I know that if I do my job as I should, we should have a decent day.”
