Busch outlasts Darlington and claims victory
Quote selected text Published May 10th, 2008 in NASCAR News
Kyle Busch won the battle of attrition Saturday night as NASCAR’s least popular driver overcame a pit-road penalty and several scrapes with the wall to win at Darlington Raceway.
Busch’s third Sprint Cup Series victory of the season hardly thrilled the crowd, which viciously booed him in prerace introductions and hadn’t softened by the time he took the checkered flag. Already loathed by many, he enraged Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s massive fan base by wrecking him as they raced for the win last week in Richmond.
His win at Darlington was his eighth of the season spanning NASCAR’s top three series, and he has won most of them in very convincing fashion. This one was no different, as Busch led a race-high 169 of the 367 laps in a Toyota he described early in the race as the “most pathetic” he’d ever driven.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of all you guys,” Busch said as he crossed under the checkered flag more than three seconds ahead of Carl Edwards. Jeff Gordon finished third with Earnhardt Jr. fourth.
“These guys love the noise the fans make,” Busch said, nodding toward his Joe Gibbs Racing team. “Keep it up everybody. … We need to keep that bull’s eye on us, where everybody is shooting at us.”
“Darlington is one of the hardest places, it always has been and always will be,” said Busch, who has now won eight races in Cup, Nationwide and Truck series competition this year. He’s also leading the Sprint Cup standings.
“What an awesome win for us. This is pretty cool.”
Darlington post-race interview: Kyle Busch and JD Gibbs
Darlington post-race interview: Edwards and Gordon
Darlington GM drivers race quotes, notes
Darlington Ford drivers race quotes
Darlington Dodge drivers race quotes
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS:
FIN, ST, CAR, DRIVER, MAKE, SPONSOR, PTS/BNS, LAPS, STATUS
1 6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Mint Crisp M&M’s “Indiana Jones” 195/10 367 Running
2 36 99 Carl Edwards Ford Claritin 170/0 367 Running
3 8 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 170/5 367 Running
4 2 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Mountain Dew / AMP Energy / Nat’l Guard 165/5 367 Running
5 15 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance 160/5 367 Running
6 34 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT NANO Technology 155/5 367 Running
7 21 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Ground 151/5 367 Running
8 24 28 Travis Kvapil Ford LaFayette Ford 147/5 367 Running
9 13 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 138/0 367 Running
10 12 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 134/0 367 Running
11 25 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal 135/5 367 Running
12 5 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 132/5 367 Running
13 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s 124/0 367 Running
14 22 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 126/5 367 Running
15 38 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s 118/0 367 Running
16 27 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet U.S. Army 115/0 367 Running
17 9 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet State Water Heaters 112/0 367 Running
18 10 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker 109/0 367 Running
19 30 44 David Reutimann Toyota UPS 106/0 367 Running
20 33 38 David Gilliland Ford FreeCreditReport.com 108/5 367 Running
21 4 20 Tony Stewart Toyota The Home Depot 100/0 365 Running
22 42 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser 102/5 365 Running
23 19 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley’s Big Red 94/0 365 Running
24 37 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS 91/0 364 Running
25 28 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 88/0 364 Running
26 31 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV 90/5 364 Running
27 26 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull 82/0 363 Running
28 18 00 Michael McDowell * Toyota Brain Cancer Action Week 79/0 363 Running
29 16 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group 76/0 362 Running
30 20 21 Bill Elliott Ford Motorcraft 73/0 362 Running
31 17 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 70/0 362 Running
32 39 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target 67/0 361 Running
33 40 7 Robby Gordon Dodge Jim Beam 64/0 360 Running
34 14 40 Sterling Marlin Dodge Dodge Challenger 61/0 349 Running
35 29 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet Kellogg’s / CARQUEST 58/0 340 Running
36 41 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet NIBCO / Menards 55/0 339 Running
37 32 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel 52/0 294 Running
38 23 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 49/0 269 Running
39 11 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 46/0 264 Running
40 43 10 Patrick Carpentier * Dodge LifeLock 48/5 262 Out of Race
41 35 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil 40/0 249 Running
42 7 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge McDonald’s 37/0 246 Running
43 1 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M 39/5 234 Out of Race
- Darlington could get new track surface
- Repaving begins at Darlington
- Goodyear to tire test at Darlington
- Hamlin not happy over non-caution at Darlington finish
- Darlington begins repaving
Man, say whatever you want, but the kid has got some talent!!
Ehh… my race pick Truex Jr. finished 14th.. could of been worse though. Congrats to Busch, deserved that win.
It was a good race. Kyle raced clean and there were not many cautions. The kid hit the wall 3 maybe 4 times and came back from a missing lug nut. the race was over at 11 and we ended under a checkered flag . what more could anyone ask for.
Howie motorsports photography wrote:
I for one was very glad to have the race over well before midnight and like you said, under a checkered flag. I’m getting too old to be staying up all night to catch the end of a race! Kyle put on a heck of a show and raced everyone pretty clean. Can’t believe Stewart was in position to get back on the lead lap after that idiot Sadler put him in the wall on lap 3! Pretty nice recovery from the #20 team.
Go Kyle!! I bet R. Hendrick kicks himself in the
a–, every night, for making such a stupid trade.
If he doesn’t, he should. What a mistake!!!
Yea i bet Hendrick is too…NOT, nice Hendrick support your giving by the way, with your name and all..Kyle Busch, great race yesterday, yes, but there is no need to bring anyother driver or team into this, it was Kyles day, let him have it by prasing him, not bashing.
I would also like to add, that im not a Kyle Busch fan, and actually i hate him, i hate his attidute, and i know hate is a strong word but he’s to arrogant for me..HOWEVER, i can’t be mad at him, even though i try, i just can’t..I wasn’t mad at him last week, with what happened, but i was more disappointed, but even anytime, i can’t be mad…He’s got talent, he’s fun to watch, and i can’t believe im actually praising him, i just wish that some of these races become more competetive, im tired of watching one or two guys lead all the laps this year. Like Hamlin at Richmond, Stewart and Busch at Daytona, Edwards at Atlanta, then Busch, but yea if only the races would become more entertaining, and then have Busch winning, maybe then i wouldn’t hate him so much.
The race car by Busch was illegal from the start, too fast too fast. This kid has someone pushing him to the top. He comes from nothing to win everything this year running his mouth. No one wants him on the track and no one wants him as a fan. He is worthless as a person and Im sure his mother was ashamed of the boos he was showered with before and after the race.
How can a mother be proud of an ___ Hole son who will fall on his face no matter how many races he wins. He is a loser in life.
If the kid could only change his heart and mind to the good side but I think he is a broken wheel.
So he can drive, good for him, life does not consist of winning races, it consist of family, friends, fans and people that respect you. Kyle Busch only has one of the above, family, I think. ???
He can win everything in stock car racing between the East and West Coast, and he will still be on the losing end of life.
I sincerly hopes this kid wakes up before its too late and his loses his life, or takes another on the track.
None of us want it to be our driver he kills with his madness of racing fever.
Take time to smell the roses Busch before they cover your grave or another.
Change of heart makes a War go away and respect despells a thousand heated words from being voiced. You have neither, think on it before it’s too late and your career is too far done the track to turn back the hands of your deeds.
Is it just me or was that race boring. I dont know seemed like follow the leader most of the night
No one is ever happy. JG and JJ ran up front and won most of the races, last year. Everyone
complained—Now someone else has the
“advantage”–and fans still complain. I am a
JG and JJ fan and was a Hendrick fan till Hendrick signed on Jr. Kyle’s showing Hendrick, that he’s a much better driver, than the one for which he was traded. Maybe he has better equipment—we all know Toyota has the advantage in horsepower. Maybe, Nascar has found their “Bad Boy” since Dale Sr passed
away. It’s the fans that have no consideration,
when they booed Kyle and gave him the salute, when he was introduced along with hisMother. Then again, we have to consider the mentality of some of the fans.
there is nothing boring about racing. I got to ride for three laps around Daytona International speedway at 165mph. I have a whole new respect for the drivers now…Go Kyle
Kyle has some talent as a young driver, but any experienced driver could win as many races as he has with the car that he is driving. He definitely has a superior race car that most any driver could win with. It appears that Toyota has an advantage.
I heard his crew told him if he complained anymore about the car, they’d have Steve Wallace yank his helmet on every pit stop. (lol)
It amazes me that because he dominated the race his car was illegal. Actually he’s an excellent driver. A big set of b*lls, but he’s still an excellent driver. I used to hate him, but actually started listening to the Jr/Hendrick fans bad mouth him all the time and it gets a little tiring after a while. Jr fans hate him because he’s easy to hate. I remember last year even the announcers were saying Jr was ‘an OK driver, not great, but OK’. But Jr nation is so blinded by their love for him it’s unreal. Now don’t get me wrong, I do like Jr, but the man doesn’t walk on water. He even said what happened last week wasn’t intentional. But I guess people will see what they want to see.
I can also guarantee Kyle’s mother isn’t ashamed of him, not in the least. Why should she? Look how good her son is doing for himself, look at how much he has done so far this year with a new owner/team and even with the entire Jr nation on his back. He faught like hell on Saturday to win that race. Thinking back within the past couple of years he would have wrecked that car before ever making it back to the top 10, so you can tell he’s maturing. He just turned 23 years old and has a hunger for racing, just like everyone else who does it for a living. There has been PLENTY of moments, with most drivers (and even more-so Dale Sr) who have done their share of “rattling peoples cages” (from Dale Srs mouth himself, ask Terry Labonte…).
I do know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but some people go a little overboard with it…
WELL SAID, ME!!! Couldn’t have said it better,
myself, with one exception—”I don’t and have
never liked Jr.” It took his dad’s fans combined
with his followers, to make up Jr Nation.
PS… for some reason it put me on there as Me, so I thought I would put my name up so no one thinks I’m trying to hide.
~Michelle