By: Cathy Brown
Twitter: @TheCathyBrown @PitOutsideBox
Facebook: Pitting Outside the Box
Website: Pitting Outside the Box
ATLANTA, Ga. – Prior to the start of today’s Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR took a moment to stand in solidarity against the recent events that took place in Minneapolis.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps had the drivers stop on the front stretch and turn off their engines, Phelps made this timely and passionate statement:
“Thank you for your time. Our country is in pain and people are justifiably angry, demanding to be heard. The black community and all people of color have suffered in our country, and it has taken far too long for us to hear their demands for change. Our sport must do better. Our country must do better. The time is now to listen, to understand and to stand against racism and racial injustice. We ask our drivers … and all our fans to join us in this mission, to take a moment of reflection, to acknowledge that we must do better as a sport, and join us as we now pause and take 30 seconds to take a moment to listen.”
When the race was ready to begin there were four drivers that had to start in the rear of the field, one of those four drivers was Kurt Busch.
After failing inspection three times, Busch started at the rear of the field (he was supposed to start 12th) for today’s Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. To add insult to injury NASCAR also tacked on a pass-through penalty at the beginning of the race.
In pre-COVID19, Busch would’ve lost a crew member, but crew members are limited to 16 at the track, so this is the “new way” to penalize a driver and team.
The No. 1 car went down a lap early due to the “pass-through” penalty, but as luck would have it – when NASCAR threw a competition caution on lap 25, Busch was able to receive the free pass, placing him back on the lead lap.
By lap 50, the driver of the Monster Energy Chevy had cracked the top-15, he managed to maintain that position as green flag stops happened with 40 to go in the first segment.
John Hunter Nemechek brought out the caution and the Las Vegas native came to pit road, taking tires and fuel – his team getting him back on track 12th for the restart.
Busch was fighting the handling on his car and fell back to 17th as Stage No. 1 came to a close.
He fought his car throughout the second segment and radioed his team that he needed some major adjustments and when Stage No. 2 was complete, he crossed the stripe 15th.
For the start of the final stage, Busch radioed his team that the car was “a little too tight for his liking” but the adjustment worked as with 76 laps to go he cracked the top-10.
Methodically, he worked his was up to eighth and in the closing laps he battled Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson for position. With four laps to go he made the pass on the two Hendrick Motorsports teammates and taking the checkered flag sixth, with only 10 cars on the lead lap.
It was a great day for the No. 1, even though at one point during the race he was mad at the whole (expletive) car. After the race he thanked his team for giving him the adjustments he needed to bring the car home with a top-10 finish.
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