Kyle Busch ends Hendrick win streak
LONG POND, Pa. — Las Vegas native Kyle Busch busted Hendrick Motorsports’ winning streak and denied the organization a shot at NASCAR history when he raced to his second victory of the season Sunday.
“Put as much as gas in it as we can, pack that thing full, we’re going to run it out the rest of the day,” Busch said after his win at the NASCAR Cup Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 350.
Busch stretched his fuel in his broken Toyota and outlasted late leaders William Byron and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin as they saw their shot at the checkered flag disappear over the final few laps when they ran out of gas.
“Sometimes these races aren’t always won by the fastest car,” Busch said.
Sometimes they’re won by a car that could use a push to victory lane.
Busch was on the brink of snapping Hendrick’s winning streak with a runner-up finish to Alex Bowman in Saturday’s Pocono twinbill opener. He couldn’t get the help he needed Saturday with the right push. But he got the critical pit road assist Sunday and then drove the final 46 laps on the 2½-mile oval knowing another stop in the pits would end his race.
“It took some brute force to hold that thing back, to hold it in,” Busch said.
Busch raced without a care early and sang a few bars of “Fly Like An Eagle” over the radio. His 59th career
Cup victory will go down as one of Busch’s greatest hits. NASCAR’S career wins leader in all series has 100 in Xfinity and 61 in Trucks.
Sorry Steve Miller, Busch said his karaoke song of choice is “The Real Slim Shady,” a fitting choice for the M&M’S driver.
Kyle Larson, whose blown tire on the last lap cost him a win Saturday, was second for Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick had won six straight Cup races, capped by Bowman’s third win over his last 10 races.
Hendrick was trying to become the first team since NASCAR’S modern era began in 1972 to win seven straight races.