Photo Courtesy of: Richard Childress Racing
By: Cathy Brown
Twitter: @TheCathyBrown@PitOutsideBox
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MADISON, IL. – Kyle Busch started on pole for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Worldwide Technology Raceway in what would turn into a race that lasted longer than last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600.
At the drop of the green flag, Ryan Blaney would lead lap one when Tyler Reddick would bring out the first caution coming to lap two.
The race was then red flagged three times for lightning strike in the area, which delayed the restart. When the race went back green it was all Kyle Busch, dominating Stage No. 1 to capture his first stage win of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
For the start of the second segment, Blaney would surface as the car to beat. The caution flag flew on lap 91 for Carson Hocevar blowing out a brake rotor and Busch would be the first car that took four tires on pit road, placing him back in sixth for the restart.
Blaney on a two-tire stop was able to hold onto the lead as Busch was able to make his back to second for the end of Stage No. 2.
For the start of the final segment, Busch would be back in sixth and working his way back to the front, the final segment was the “marathon” segment when with 65 laps to go Reddick would blow out a brake rotor too.
The race was back green with 57 laps to go as Busch and Kyle Larson battled for the lead. The cautions were not done yet as with 42 laps to go the yellow was back in the air when Noah Gragson – you guessed it blew out a brake rotor.
This brought out the red flag for track cleanup and nine minutes later the race was back under yellow.
The race would see multiple cautions till the checkered flag and with four laps to go Bubba Wallace would bring out caution flag No. 11 for – what appeared to be another blown out brake rotor.
This threw the race into NASCAR Overtime and when the checkered flag finally flew it was Busch crossing the stripe first.
Busch led a total of 122 laps, sheer dominance.
To add to his credit, this is the 25th different track Busch has won at and the ninth time he’s won from pole.
In the Media Center after the race Busch was asked about dueling Larson on the numerous restarts late in the race and if it he considered it one of his best driving performances:
“I guess I had a lot of experience of doing the same stuff last year, and unfortunately didn’t make the most of it there at the end and get the win last year. Was able to do it this year just racing against a few of those guys. Larson was up there, Denny was up there, Blaney, all the guys that were fast all day. So I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
Just the restarts kind of went our way. We were able to get through on the outside on that one and push Larson out, then he took bottom of three and four, I was able to carry the momentum around the high side to take the lead. That was really important. I think that was kind of the key moment of us being able to win today. Being able to control the rest of the restarts for the rest of the race.
Kyle is one of the best. It’s good to be able to sit up here and race hard with him, being a Team Chevy partner. He gave me great respect, I appreciate that. That will be given back down the road.” – said Busch.
Like him or hate him (and it seems more people like him now) Busch proved he’s King of the Restarts and is on track to win another Cup Series Championship with his new team this year and that should put all other drivers on notice.
The NCS travels to the West Coast this weekend for the lefts and rights of Sonoma Raceway.
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