Kyle Busch prevails in rain-delayed race

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kyle Busch was all smiles and Kyle Larson was all scowls.

Busch passed Larson with five laps remaining in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday to win his second straight Cup Series race, culminating a rain-delayed weekend when temperatures dipped into the high 30s.

Busch celebrated by thrusting his arms in the air and with a traditional bow to the crowd on top of his No. 18 Toyota while the snow began falling – a fitting end to a long weather-stalled weekend.

Busch said after the race that he didn’t have the best car, but “we had the best car right at the end.”

The loss left Larson, who led a racehigh 200 laps, extremely frustrated.

“I feel like every time I race here I almost get a win,” Larson said of his second-place finish. “I’ve been beat by Kyle (Busch) about every time I race here, too, so that gets frustrating after a while.”

It was Busch’s 45th career Cup Series win, moving him ahead of Bill Elliott into sole possession of 16th place.

It also was his seventh win at Bristol, while Larson has yet to win at the halfmile track.

Coincidentally, Busch won with the aid of longtime nemesis Brad Keselowski, who wrecked with 30 laps left, bringing out the caution flag.

Eau Claire’s Paul Menard finished 13th.