Photo Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images
BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 15, 2015) — It doesn’t matter quite as much if you get caught speeding in your truck if your truck is the fastest one in the race.
That was the situation for Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Camping World Series Careers for Veterans 200 presented by The Cooper Standard Foundation and Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation at Michigan International Speedway.
There were 31 green flag passes for the lead in the race, which tied a track record in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The last race to have 31 was in 2011.
Busch dominated early in the race, but got caught for speeding on pit road during a yellow caution period while leading. He was penalized by starting at the end of the lead lap, which was 19th, but fought back through a series of late-race restarts following cautions. Busch captured his first NASCAR Truck Series race at MIS and his 44th victory overall in 127 NASCAR Truck Series races.
Busch will attempt to remain on the comeback trail tomorrow when he will start at the back of the NASCAR Sprint Cup field for the Pure Michigan 400 after wrecking his primary car during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice earlier in the day.
Busch had all he could handle to hold off the likes of Ryan Blaney, teammate and Byron, Michigan native Erik Jones, Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon over the final 24 laps of the race that saw four caution periods that necessitated the same number of nail-biting restarts.
It was Blaney who offered the final challenge to Busch with six laps remaining. Blaney took the lead on the restart, but Busch passed him with four laps to go. Busch hung on to win by just over 15 hundredths of a second. It was Busch’s second NASCAR Truck Series win in two attempts this season.
For Blaney it was the first top-10 finish in three races at MIS and third of the season.
Busch is now just seven wins away from tying Ron Hornaday, Jr., for the all-time series wins lead. Busch’s best previous finish in the truck series at MIS was second, four times.
“It’s was a really a fun race,” Busch added. “I really enjoyed racing with those guys up there in front. It was pretty hectic in regard to how that was going to shape up.”
Blaney explained that Busch got a very big push on the last restart from Jones which gave Busch the momentum he needed to pass Blaney with four laps remaining for the victory.
“When you get a huge run like that, I just couldn’t get him,” Blaney added. “I just couldn’t get anyone behind me to help do the same thing to him that he did to me.”
Next up Sunday is the Pure Michigan 400. Tickets are available by phone at 800-354-1010.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Kyle Busch celebrates in Gatorade Victory Lane after winning the Careers for Veterans 200 presented by The Cooper Standard Foundation and Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation on Sunday.
