Dominant Kyle Busch finally conquers Charlotte oval
CONCORD, N.C. – Charlotte Motor Speedway had teased Kyle Busch over the years, showing him the way to victory lane but closing the gates at the last minute, slamming his fingers.
In 28 races, he finished second three times and third four times. He led 173 laps, then 217, then 111. He had 11 topfives.
Still, no victories.
As he established himself as one of the best racers in NASCAR history, winning in every series and at every other track, he met only frustration at CMS in points races. A win in the 2017 All-Star Race at the track was something of a salve, but it didn’t count in the big picture.
On Sunday night, Busch got his revenge. And in a very big way. Behind the wheel of his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he had the sort of dominating performance that sends fans to the concession stands and challenges broadcasters to fill air space with pretend excitement.
He led 377 of 400 laps in the CocaCola 600 and won the race by 3.82 seconds over Martin Truex Jr. And it wasn’t really that close.
“He kicked everybody’s tail. That’s just the way it goes. That’s how it is,” Truex said.
Only three other drivers led laps. Joey Logano was second on the laps-led list with 12 — 365 fewer than Busch. A big-time whipping, to be sure. More important for Busch, it completed his sweep of tracks currently on the Cup schedule. Now he has won at every one, from road courses to short tracks to the giant superspeedways. Quite a résumé.
Crew chief Adam Stevens has been around for much of Busch’s success. Sunday night was special, he said.
“It’s important for me to help Kyle accomplish his goals, and this was a big one for him,” Stevens said. “It makes the victory a little sweeter.”
Several people pointed out to Busch that, although he now owns wins at every track, he will face a new challenge in September when the series returns to Charlotte. The track’s playoff race will be run on the combined oval-road (roval) course, which, for NASCAR statistical purposes, will be a “separate” track from the regular CMS oval. So yet another place to check off the list.
“I guess we’re good for the next 100 days, then we’ll try to win on the roval,” Busch said.
Team owner Gibbs, who knows a few things about winning across the sports landscape, continues to be amazed by Busch.
“When he puts a helmet on on race day, I think he’s one of the most unusual people, and he has unusual talent,” Gibbs said.
Kevin Harvick, the season’s other superstar driver, wasn’t around at Sunday’s finish, having crashed out early. He and Busch will continue their jousting for supremacy this weekend at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.