Busch rolling
Kyle Busch completes a Bristol Motor Speedway sweep, leaving NASCAR peers in awe
BRISTOL , TENN. Five takeaways from the Bristol Motor Speedway race week, with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams preparing to enjoy a rare weekend off before the Sept. 3 Bojangles’ Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C.
All Kyle, all the time:
The smoke, confetti and M&M’s had barely cleared after Kyle Busch’s victory Saturday night when rising star Kyle Larson posted this tweet about Busch: “Love him or hate him I feel he is the most all around talented driver I will ever witness in my lifetime. Congratulations @KyleBusch.”
Larson, 25, presumably will see many other drivers before his final laps.
That’s sparkling praise from a fellow competitor, but it’s difficult to downplay Busch’s Bristol extravaganza — three wins in four days. He is one of the best racers in the long history of one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks.
It’s the second time Busch has accomplished the Bristol sweep. He called it “Bristol Sweep 2.0” and judged it to be more important than the first because his son, Brexton, was in attendance. Brexton clearly enjoyed his father tossing him into the air in victory lane, a family tradition that might become more difficult when Brexton is 15.
Old 20 vs. new 20:
Matt Kenseth, driving for a final season in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota, dueled Erik Jones in tight quarters over the closing laps Saturday night. It was a bit uncomfortable for both because Jones has been named to replace Kenseth in the 20 next season.
The two sat side-by-side in a postrace news conference, and Jones was asked about bumping Kenseth slightly.
This exchange followed: Jones: “I didn’t mean to hit Matt.”
Kenseth: “Did you hit me?” Jones: “Just barely.”
Kenseth, laughing: “Didn’t remember. Shouldn’t have brought it up. Now I’m mad. Takes my ride and runs into me.”
Two to go:
The week off gives drivers and mechanics time to recharge before the final races of the regular season: Sept. 3 in Darlington and Sept. 9 in Richmond, Va.
The potential grid for the 16driver playoff didn’t change with the results of Saturday’s race. Thirteen drivers are in with victories, and, in the current standings, Chase Elliott, Kenseth and Jamie McMurray would take the final three spots based on points unless a new winner emerges at Darlington Raceway or Richmond Raceway.
Kenseth improved his position Saturday. He entered the race 31 points in front of Clint Bowyer, the first driver below the cutoff line, and left Bristol 61 ahead. Elliott leads Bowyer by 69 points, and McMurray is 58 in front of Bowyer. Downer for Junior: The best part of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Saturday unfortunately occurred before the race. A card stunt organized by the speedway gave him a huge “Thank You Dale Jr.” salute on the frontstretch.
Earnhardt was never a factor in the race, finishing 23rd, three laps down.
“We’re struggling,” he said after the race. “Gosh, I just don’t know what to do.”
Winless Earnhardt is 22nd in points and hasn’t finished in the top five since the season’s seventh race at Texas Motor Speedway. He needs a win at Darlington or Richmond to make the playoffs and get one final shot at the championship his father won seven times.
Backing his crew chief:
Some Earnhardt fans have blamed crew chief Greg Ives for the team’s disappointing season, but the driver jumped on Twitter after Saturday’s race to defend Ives.
“Yep. Not allowing him to take the fall for this,” Earnhardt tweeted. “There are many reasons a team performs poorly. Rarely, is it one persons fault. … He is a talent and when he gets things figured out with Alex (Bowman)will have forgottenin 2018 the everyonestruggles of 2017.” Bowman is scheduled to replace Earnhardt in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet next year.