Busch finally solves Kansas Speedway, wins Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Adventhealth 400
It took 33 tries over the course of 21 years, but NASCAR Cup champion Kurt Busch finally figured out Kansas Speedway.
Busch, one of two drivers to start all 33 races at Kansas Speedway since it opened in 2001, outdueled defending Cup champion Kyle Larson on Sunday in a scintillating door-to-door battle and claimed the Adventhealth 400 for his first victory at the track.
Busch, in his first season in the
No. 45 Toyota for the 23XI team co-founded by former basketball superstar Michael Jordan and Cup driver Denny Hamlin, led 116 laps in the race. But he didn’t take the lead for good until nine laps remained, when Larson scraped the wall, allowing Busch to beat Larson by 1.3 seconds and Busch’s brother, Kyle, by 1.9 seconds.
“This is XX3XI!” screamed Busch, whose car was adorned with the Michael Jordan logo. “This is our first win for the 45 car and with the Jordan brand on the hood, I felt like I had to play like the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), race like the GOAT, and I beat Kyles … I beat both.”
Busch, the 2004 Cup champion won his 34th career race, and he’s won in Chevys, Fords, Dodges and Toyotas for six different organizations. He was hired by coowners Jordan and Hamlin to help the development of Bubba Wallace and give the new organization an experienced hand.
“It’s the most gratifying, to work from the ground up with a brandnew car number,” said Busch, whose previous four finishes this season were 32nd, 16th, 31st and 28th. “I’ve been with a lot of teams, a lot of manufacturers, and I can check off the Toyota box….
“For everybody at 23XI, this I for us. This is what the hard work is all about … I’m going to go find Toto, because I’m in Kansas, and I’m loving it.”
The victory, Busch’ first in 27 starts, dating to July 11, 2021 at Atlanta, likely clinched a spot in the postseason playoffs for the 17th time, breaking the all-time record he shared with Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Hamlin.
In Busch’ 32 previous races at Kansas, he had best finishes of second in 2013 and 2017, and he was fourth last fall. But his average finish was 15.5.
Busch, 43, appeared headed for more disappointment when he surrendered the lead to Larson with 33 laps to go, but Larson, the 2021 Kansas winner and reigning Cup champion, wiggled and lost speed when he scraped the wall in the No. 5 Chevrolet.
“We’re racing for the win there,” said Larson, who led 29 laps. “He never got into me. I’m tying to squeeze throttle and try to get in position on him and just got tight. It was fun racing with Kurt.”
Hamlin, the co-owner of Busch’s car, finished fourth, but was thrilled for his teammate.
“I’ve never had this kind of feeling for a win for me,” Hamlin said. “Emotionally for sure. I’ve been excited to win the Daytona 500, but this one feels bigger to me.”
Hamlin said he had already heard from Jordan, and the team plans to celebrate at a golf outing this week.
“He was so excited,” Hamlin said. “He’s been in step with me on everything we’ve done with this team.”
The race was marred by blown left-rear tires to at least five cars that derailed the chances of several drivers, including pole-sitter Christopher Bell, William Byron, Daniel Suarez and former champions Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick.
The blowouts were attributed to the new Nextgen car. The independent rear suspension on the car shifts the aerodynamic balance of the vehicle more to the rear.
“The amount of air pressure in the tire should directly correlate to the amount of load on that corner of the car,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “If the amount of load increases — like it has on the left-rear of this Next Gen car — you need to increase the load carrying capability in that tire, which is done via air pressure.
“If you run below our recommended pressures, the tire can over-deflect, sustain damage and result in an air loss.”