Busch wins again

By Jared Turner - SceneDaily Staff Writer

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Article Rating: 3.8
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David Griffin / NASCAR Scene

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Kyle Busch wouldn’t win a popularity contest at Darlington Raceway. On Saturday night, it didn’t stop the 23-year-old from winning another race.

In his first outing since being widely chastised by fans for his role in wrecking Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond International Raceway, Busch rallied from an early pit road miscue to score his third Sprint Cup win of the season and second victory in three races.

Busch, who was greeted with a chorus of boos in prerace introductions, battled back after being relegated to 23rd when he was summoned by NASCAR to pit road for a pass-through penalty for a loose lugnut early in the event.

The No. 18 Toyota took the lead for the final time on lap 304 after getting out of the pits in first.

“I just kind of laid back and stayed cool and tried to maneuver my way through traffic the best I could," said Busch, who extended his points lead to 79 over Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton.

Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards placed second followed by Hendrick Motorsports’ Jeff Gordon in third.

Hendrick’s Earnhardt Jr. and Roush Fenway’s David Ragan completed the top five.

The race, which marked the Sprint Cup Series' debut on the newly repaved Darlington surface, appeared to be Greg Biffle's to lose until an apparent carburetor issue ended the Roush Fenway driver’s night on lap 234 after leading seven times for 95 laps.

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Biffle, who started from the pole, had cycled back into the lead after coming to pit road with a loose wheel when mechanical problems forced him to exit the event early. He finished 43rd.

“It is really frustrating, but, you know what, I’ve just come accustomed to expecting it because it’s just week after week it’s something,” Biffle said.

Two other Chase contenders - Richard Childress Racing’s Kevin Harvick and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Tony Stewart – had their own share of trouble.

Harvick’s came on lap 147 when he smacked the wall off Turn 2, forcing the No. 29 Chevrolet to the garage for repairs. Stewart’s came on lap 2, when he was crowded up into the wall by Gillett Evernham Motorsports’ Elliott Sadler.

Stewart, who won Friday night’s Nationwide Series event at Darlington, finished 21st on Saturday.

“I just made a huge mistake,” said Sadler, who placed 42nd. “It’s my fault. I apologize to him and all of his fans.”

Average Rating: 3.8

Comments

8 responses to "Busch wins again"
  1. 1
    Worm Dirt said:
    May 10, 2008 at 10:35 PM

    At about lap 220 I hit the mute button for just a minute tonight.... and I swear.... NO kidding....I really think!!..that....I actually heard McPackrass scribbling on the back of a snickers bar wrapper... the mediocre outline of an article on how Kyle Busch was impatient...and TOO aggressive....and immature....and blah blah blah!!!...insert cliche....blah..etc.etc.....explaining why KB didn't win the race.... BUT!!!!!!!....well, we all know by now!! Kyle drove HIS OWN race..... with HIS OWN ABILITIES and...DESPITE DW... and Larry Mac.... one simple-minded clone after the other... and whoever else wanted to assert their "superior" judgement on how a race should be won at Darlington...WELL.... I say congratulations to Kyle! And a heart felt apology to my neighbors for the 30 seconds of uncontrollable-banshee-laughter while watching KB post-burn-out exaggeratingly bowing to his future fans.

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  2. 2
    emily bagwell said:
    May 11, 2008 at 4:57 PM

    Worm's name and comments explain a lot about how Kyle busch came to be such a loon.

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  3. 3
    Pearl Roll said:
    May 11, 2008 at 7:55 PM

    Kyle needs to push Jr. over the finish line so he wins a race already and the Jr. fans can guit whining. Talk about who needs to grow up-Jr. fans do! Last I knew it was called RACING and Jr. can't control his car like the others drivers do when they get loose and the fans gotta blame someone I guess. Get over it and Grow Up!! I am a fan a Nascar RACING and not Jr. I would be ashamed to be among you babies with all the whining.

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  4. 4
    grandamgt Russell said:
    May 12, 2008 at 5:13 AM

    Jr fans don't whine about what happened. He has already won 2 races this year, albeit non-points races. The problem they have with KB is his lack of respect and how to conduct an interview. Even DW was going to have a talk with him this past weekend and get him to work with a PR person and brush up on how to conduct himself during interviews with the media and stop insulting veteran drivers. He should take a lesson from gentlemen drivers such as Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin. They know how to handle the media. He also needs to get rid of those ridiculous grandma sunglasses, as Kyle Petty said on Tradin Paint. He may be a talented driver but he needs to grow up and stop making a fool out of himself. He seems very insecure. Talk about whining, he whined about his car all night, even Jeff Hammond commented on how he should stop whining and drive.

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  5. 5
    Roy Sakabu said:
    May 12, 2008 at 7:14 AM

    Kyle Busch is awesome for all those Dale Jr. fans that think he sux the ones that boo him suc Dale Jr. is an awesome driver in my opinion because he doesnt get mad at what kyle does to him i mean he even confesses that the wreck at richmond was his fault seriously, i respect dale jr. and i cheer on kyle

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  6. 6
    Gary Edl said:
    May 12, 2008 at 3:13 PM

    Jr.is a great guy but he"ll never be as great as his dad. There was only one Earnhardt,and only one Petty. Gordon,Johnson,Stewart, if Jr were that great a driver in all these years his name would be along with theirs. It's not a most favorite driver race.It's the best driver who wins the race

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  7. 7
    Gary Edl said:
    May 12, 2008 at 3:13 PM

    Jr.is a great guy but he"ll never be as great as his dad. There was only one Earnhardt,and only one Petty. Gordon,Johnson,Stewart, if Jr were that great a driver in all these years his name would be along with theirs. It's not a most favorite driver race.It's the best driver who wins the race

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  8. 8
    Tim Edick said:
    May 12, 2008 at 5:03 PM

    Kyle is the best driver on the track right now. Talented, fearless, a must win attitude. He's immature sure but he's not dirty. He's just super talented and Gibbs definetly got the better end of last years silly season!!!!!

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