Kyle Busch has won the most NASCAR Nationwide Series races in history and further extended his legacy with another dominant showing at the ServiceMaster 200. Busch edged Austin Dillon for the pole earlier in the morning and didn’t hesitate to get off to a good start, leading the first 79 laps of the event.
Busch was entirely in a different class today. Green flag pit stops prevented Kyle Busch from leading more of the first-half. Trevor Bayne led two laps during the initial set of green flag stops. Kyle Busch cycled back to lead the next 29 laps before the first debris caution came out on Lap 106, and subsequently lost the lead on the following restart to Brad Keselowski.
Keselowski did a slide job on Kyle Busch to take the lead, causing Busch to lose several positions as he checked up, but Busch was able to recover to overtake Keselowski on Lap 120. Busch said, “It was definitely different being in third because of the flat aero deficiencies here in Phoenix, but I knew we had a really good car.” Busch also noted that the frequent amount of cautions after the first-half made it difficult to pass, despite leading 84.5% of the race. “We would pick off one or two cars and then a yellow, then we would pick off another two cars and another yellow.”
The victory was the 12th victory of the season for Kyle Busch, and it marked a season sweep at Phoenix International Raceway. Busch has a busy weekend ahead of him as teammate Matt Kenseth possibly could win the Sprint Cup Series championship as long as he beats Jimmie Johnson, and Busch could win the owners title for Joe Gibbs if he can hold off Roger Penske’s entourage. With Kyle Busch’s track record in the Nationwide Series, it will be difficult for the Penske clan to hold off Kyle Busch, but anything can happen in NASCAR.
The surface at Phoenix has come under scrutiny. Denny Hamlin suggested on Twitter that the surface should be grinded, but Kyle Busch disagreed saying, “I don’t think we should grind it. Jeff Gordon said that it takes about 8 years of the track weathering to see good racing.” Phoenix was repaved following the spring race in 2011 and we are still seeing mixed reactions. I asked Busch about his initial reaction. Busch replied, “I came here for the tire test.” “Our initial reaction was literally omg and wtf.” Busch noted that that tends to happen when you are used to one thing and it all of a sudden changes. “It’s hard to get used to, but it is what it is.”
