[media-credit name=”Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”228″]
[/media-credit]Kyle Busch’s day was nearly spoiled on Sunday afternoon at Talladega when he sped on pit road and went a lap down before halfway. Then after carnage in turn three on the final lap, Busch was nearly the spoiler of the Chase, coming out of the smoke to finish third.
Matt Kenseth was declared the winner of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 with Jeff Gordon, who Busch was pushing on the last lap, finishing second. Busch was able to follow Gordon through the wreck, the two taking evasive action onto the apron when the field started spinning.
“All I saw was TEXT 50555, that’s all I saw,” said Busch afterwards about the last lap, referencing Gordon’s back bumper. “I can’t answer that. I have no clue what the 17 [Kenseth] did.”
Crazy end to a day Busch almost took himself out of. Tagged for speeding on pit road on his lap 59 stop, Busch had to serve a pass through penalty under green flag conditions. He found himself over 20 seconds behind the leader and soon a lap down.
But running in the lead pack, Busch waited for a caution, which sometimes seemed like it was never going to come. He often ran ahead of the leaders, effectively un-lapping himself before being passed again. Typical Talladega, except it left Busch feeling he probably led the most laps without getting credit for it since he wasn’t the leader.
It was enough though to keep him in contention with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lucky dog position, a time Busch called the tensest part of the race.
Eighty laps after he was penalized he finally received that award. From there it was game on and he brought his No. 18 M&M’s Camry back into contention. He was sitting third with 40 laps to go and looking to win for the first time since Richmond in May.
With his JGR team out of the Chase, Busch has been going for broke. Looking for wins to end the year on a high note. Last weekend’s dominance then disappointment in Dover was well documented. Sunday, Busch had nothing negative to say, happy with surviving the race as his team endured a difficult day.
“It was a really good racecar. The guys did a good job building this thing and bringing it out here and debuting it for a one and only race here today,” Busch said. “That’s the last race for this body style here at a restrictor plate stuff. The guys did a really good job on pit road. I made a mistake there early and got to pit road way too hot and was speeding, so we got a lap down.
“But fought hard all day, made that back up, got back on the lead lap, and we were racing with the win there with everybody.”
As for what happened on the last lap that allowed him to go from outside the top 10 to finish third, Busch still isn’t sure. He was tucked up with Gordon on the inside when the Big One took place. Tony Stewart tried to block Michael Waltrip from the lead, instead he ended up sideways and collecting 28 other cars.
“Got behind Jeff who was behind the 5 [Kahne] who was behind the 15 [Bowyer]. I was quarter throttle running all over the 24, we just weren’t going anywhere. The outside lanes were kind of going by us, and got to turn three and the wreck ensued. Hopefully Tony’s all right and everybody that got banged up there.
“But it turned Jeff just enough to turn me and we got through there all right. It’s good to come out here unscathed and have the car in one piece.”
Busch heads to Charlotte leading the best of the rest category, remaining 13th in points.
