Kyle Busch was introduced with his Mother to a booing sea of Junior Nation before the start of the Dodge Challenger 500 Sunday at Darlington Raceway. The boos intensified as he rode the track in the back of a Pick up truck.
If the discontented fans thought that would get your Busch down, they were sadly mistaken and he immediately charged to the front. After a lap 11 caution, Busch took the lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. until he got his own Darlington Stripe and backed out of the gas. But Kyle stayed up front most of the day and actually lead 7 times for 169 laps. But during pit stops following a lap 147 caution, Busch was sent to the back of the field, the result of a pit lane violation when a crew member missed a lug nut.
Restarting the race in 29th place, on a track that Dale Jr. said after the race, “Was impossible to pass on”, the 18 car fought through the field back to 10th place by lap 170. With 64 laps to go, Kyle took the lead for the last time and hung in there for the win. Busch climbed from his Toyota after a huge burnout on the front stretch, to another chorus of boos. His response was to climb on the car and do an exaggerated bow to the fans. The win keeps the younger Busch brother atop the points standing in the Nextel Cup Series as the teams head for the All Star weekend at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte.
On the local racing scene:
Friday, Crossville Raceway dodged the rain once again, getting in the full weekly racing program. Fridays winners included, Crossville’s Brandon Williams in the Late Model Sportsman, Last years Open Wheel champion Billy Palmer claimed his first win of the season, Sparta’s Mike Selby won the Pro Street feature for the second week in a row. In the Mod Mini class, Kingston’s Brad Hamilton was a repeat winner, while Crossville’s Cody Rector took the win in the pure Mini feature with newcomer, (Carl) Jackson Griffith taking second. In the Cruiser Cars it was Tim Roach and Jason Sharp getting the win.
Next week Crossville will highlight three of the weekly classes with increased payouts for the winners, $700 for Sportsman, $350 for Pro Street and $150 for Cruisers.
Wartburg Speedway fought back after the rains hit the track Friday night and managed to get their program in which included the SRRS Super late model show. The big winner was Brandon King of Decatur, AL who led flag-to-flag in route to the $3,000 win. Wartburg will run the weekly racing program Friday.
Saturday night, the Mountain Raceway hosted an AAPTS Super Late Model event where Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Georgia picked up the $3,000 win. McDowell was the big winner at Crossville’s SRRS race last month. Saturday, the mountain will run the weekly racing program with a $1,000/800 mini stock feature.
Spring City Raceway as well as 411 motor Speedway will be back in action again Saturday night.
Get off the couch and catch a local race this weekend, there are too many tracks with a great entertainment value to pass it up.
