Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota News and Notes:
- This week at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in Brooklyn, Kyle Busch returns to the seat of the No. 54 Monster Energy Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry, after recuperating from injuries sustained in the season-opener race that left Busch out of his familiar black machine for 11 weeks. At the beginning of the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) schedule, Busch sustained a compound fracture of the right lower leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot in an accident during the Feb. 21 XFINITY Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. While Busch returned to racetrack action four weeks ago at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, this week will be Busch’s first XFINITY Series attempt back in the No. 54 since February. Future scheduled races for Busch in the No. 54 Camry, after the Michigan event, are not yet confirmed.
- At the ‘Motor City’ track this Saturday, Busch will make his 298th XFINITY Series start piloting the black Toyota Camry and works to offer the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 team their first taste of victory lane this year. Historically on the two-mile D-shaped oval, Busch has earned one win, one pole, six top-five and six top-10 finishes over his XFINITY Series career.
- While Busch last experienced victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway in 2004, with a previous manufacturer, his last attempt was a strong Toyota effort at grabbing the checkered flag. In 2014, Busch started by capturing a track record with a qualifying lap of 193.242mph, a 37.259 second lap to start the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 250 event. The field was set to complete 125 laps on a track surface that was repaved in recent years and would prove difficult for some drivers to maneuver. Despite pavement challenges, however, Busch led the field to green and maintained a top-five position through much of the event until a late-race pit-stop sequence forced the No. 54 team further back into the field. Without enough yellow-flag cautions to work with, Busch drove his Monster Energy machine home as high as possible, a fourth-place result.
- The now 30-year old Busch holds an 11-year streak from 2004 to 2014 of consecutive poles within the XFINITY Series, a 43-career total. Busch’s last visit to MIS in this series, in June of 2014, produced a pole-qualifying result with a track record 193.242mph.
- 2014 XFINITY Series statistics for Busch include a seven-win season with seven poles, 25 top-five and 25 top-10 results along with 1,769 laps led. In 2014 Busch maintained ownership of the laps-led leader (1,769 laps, 29.18%) and miles-led leader (1,958.94, 23.80%).
- Joe Gibbs Racing at Michigan in the NASCAR Xfinity Series covers 34 races, two wins, 12 top-five finishes, 23 top-10 finishes and one pole.
- Loop Data Statistics at MIS over the last 10 races record Busch with over 89% of laps in the top-15 spots on track. Busch is the youngest winner at MIS on 8/21/04 at 19 yrs., 3 mos. and 19 days.
- Crew Chief Chris Gayle’s Michigan statistics include two races over two years accomplishing one top-10 finish. Gayle served as crew chief on JGR’s No. 11 Nationwide Series team the previous two seasons after he was an engineer on JGR’s No. 18 Sprint Cup Series team, aligned with Busch.
- Race Info: June 13, 2015 at 1:30pm EST live on Fox Sports 1, Great Clips 250 Benefiting Paralyzed Veterans of America, 125 laps.
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FROM THE COCKPIT:
How does it feel returning to the seat of your No. 54 Monster Energy machine since the accident in Daytona?
“I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the 54 Monster Energy Toyota this weekend. I can’t say enough about how much Monster Energy, JGR and all my guys have helped me and pulled for me to get back into the XFINITY car. This is a continuation of my recovery since Daytona, and we hope to continue to add to my schedule going forward through the rest of the year. I’m looking forward to working with Chris Gayle again and I’m optimistic for a good run at Michigan. If I remember it right, my last run here in the No. 54 started off strong, we didn’t get the finish we wanted then, but I look to redeem that this week.”
FROM THE PIT BOX:
What are your expectations for this No. 54 team with Kyle, returning to the seat for his first race since the accident?
“The entire team is really excited to have Kyle back in the car for Michigan. I’m looking forward to working with him there and continuing to build our communication as a driver/crew-chief combination that we started in Daytona. Michigan is a big wide-open racetrack with really fast corners. It’s important to have a good-handling car and be able to carry speed off the wide corners here. Since the track was repaved in 2012, track position has also become critical for success in Michigan. This team has been improving and knocking on the door for that first win the last couple of weeks. There couldn’t be a more perfect time to get it than with KB driving in Michigan.”
Are you ready to resume the crew chief role with Kyle?
“I knew it was going to be a little bit different than what it was as engineer and driver before, and Daytona didn’t give us the opportunity to complete a full race together. This will continue to be a building process over time. My goal in February was and still now is that you have to get to the point where not only do I understand what Kyle is asking for, but I also show Kyle what I can give him. Then the trust develops and continues to build as we do this together. We are obviously grateful and excited that we have that chance again with Kyle back behind the wheel of the No. 54.”
