Team NOS Driver Kyle “Rowdy” Busch Takes 2 NOS Victory Lane Bath’s This Weekend In Atlanta!
History was made this weekend in Atlanta with Team NOS member Kyle Busch! With Busch's victory in Friday's American Commercial Lines 200 and the victory in the Kobalt Tools 500 marked the first time a driver has won a Cup race and a Truck Series race in the same weekend.
Kyle Busch has been waiting all week for the Atlanta race. He felt that all of his cars and truck were setup very well and faster than the competition. The weekend kicked off with an amazing truck race where Kyle found himself taking a victory lane NOS bath on Friday night.
During the American Commercial Lines 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, a last minute decision to pit for four tires during a yellow flag rain delay sets up Kyle "Rowdy" Busch to bring home his third win in three starts at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday night in the running of the American Commercial Lines 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race for Billy Ballew Motorsports.
Veteran NASCAR crew chief Richie Wauters brought Busch down for four tires and fuel on lap 112 giving up second place and sending the rest of the field into catch-up mode. This call set up the win for Busch in a six lap shootout in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota Tundra. “The truck was real loose and we’ve been adjusting it to get a handle on it,” Busch said. “We had to do what we needed to do to get tires on this thing ‘cause we won here that way two times in the past and knew tires were the deal. Being able to get those fresh skins on this baby and hopefully taking it to the front and that was going to be a chore but they (the leader and pack) came a lap later than us so luckily we got the track position a little easier.”
Busch dominated from the start of the 130 lap, 200.2 mile race advancing from his third place position on the starting grid to taking the lead by the time lap one was counted. Busch continued forward through the pack using the high side of the track to pass the other competitors. An extended caution free period forced the teams to come down pit lane again for green flag service. Busch was extremely loose and had fallen back to the fourth position when he came in for his pit stop on lap 91.
After the cycle of stops completed, Busch found himself back in the second place position, when the predicted inclement weather moved in. A small shower on the track forced a yellow flag caution where crew chief Wauters made the race winning call to come down for four tires and fuel. Busch in the pit stall, asked for some last minute rounds in the back of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts/RedTop Auto Auction Toyota Tundra.
Busch restarted third after two trucks stayed out for position. At the restart, Busch was able to overcome the competition regaining the lead on lap 116. Rain again began to fall, harder this time, putting the trucks on pit road for a nearly 10-minute red flag delay. The rain stopped allowing the track to dry and setting up a six lap shoot-out to the checkered flag.
Busch had the truck to beat and never lost the lead when the green flag again appeared on lap 124 crossing the checkered flags with back to back wins in the series. Busch also won at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California two weeks ago with the same chassis, No. 11. This was Busch’s third win in three starts for Georgia native Ballew in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Busch increased his 2008 Championship Points lead to 72 points over former Champion Todd Bodine.
“I have to thank Miccosukee Resorts for coming on board tonight. We're trying to get Billy Ballew a major sponsor -- so if you really want to help out, we'll take it. I have to thank NOS Energy Drink and all these guys at Billy Ballew Motorsports.”
Busch dedicated the victory to his Kyle Busch Foundation newly adopted Orphanage, Carrie Steele-Pitts Home. Busch spent Thursday with the children and with the help of M&M’s they came to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to see their mentor win.
“The Kyle Busch Foundation and M&Ms donated tickets to tonight's race to some kids so they could come out and watch us race. I'm glad we were able to win and I dedicate it to them. They were a lot of fun to hang out with on Thursday, when we were able to visit and hang out with them. That is what makes it happen for me."
Busch has adopted four Orphanages that the foundation supports in Charlotte, Michigan, Las Vegas and Atlanta. For more information on the Kyle Busch Foundation or how you can help, visit www.KyleBuschFoundation.org.
Before the Sprint Cup race, FoxSports.com stated, “All of the sudden, just three races into his tenure with the new team, Busch is a driver that others are watching every week.” This proved true as all eyes where focused on him as he crossed the start finish line.
Kyle’s victory in the Atlanta 500 was huge across the board. "This is a date that will forever go down in the history of Toyota Motorsports. And we look at it, certainly, as one of many to come," said Jim Aust, president and CEO of Toyota Racing Development. "It's obviously a historic day for Toyota to get the first Sprint Cup win of our short career. Certainly, we were looking at that possibility last year. But it was a learning year." – NASCAR.com
Kyle’s victory in the Number 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Snickers car was his first Sprint Cup victory this year for 2008, marking his 5th Sprint Cup victory of his short Cup career. Kyle might be the young gun on the track right now, but he holds the respect of a lot of NASCAR’s top drivers. "I've seen this coming for quite some time. Right now, he is the wheel man of the series," veteran Mark Martin said. "He's getting 'er done this year. He's doing it.” (FoxSports.com)
The accolades didn’t stop there. "He's amazing," Stewart said. "I'm proud to have him as a teammate. I think he's a huge asset to Joe Gibbs Racing, obviously. It's fun to watch him. When he runs the Truck race, and we're sitting in the bus, I normally don't pay that close attention. But it's just fun to watch him drive, whether it's a Truck or a Nationwide car or the Cup car. He will drive it far beyond what it's capable of doing. There's no doubt at the end of the day that he's got everything that car's capable of. That's what you want out of a guy -- stuff like driving the thing on the apron in Turn 2 during the Truck race the other day, passing guys. I haven't seen anybody do that here -- not on purpose, at least. He likes a loose car, and it doesn't bother him at all to drive it that way." – NASCAR.com
Former crew chief Jimmy Makar, the first person hired by Gibbs when he decided to go NASCAR racing, radioed the winner, "Kyle Busch, this is Jimmy. Thank you for bringing the 18 back." (ESPN.com)
"It means a lot to be able to go out and win any race anytime, but especially here at Atlanta," said Busch, who increased his position on top of the standings by 73 points over Greg Biffle. "This place has been a struggle for me. I haven't had a top-10 finish here. I remember the years of watching Bobby Labonte race around this place, kicking everybody's butt.”
"Sort of reminded me a little bit about it today, to be able to race like that, run like that, bring the 18 car back up front, run here the way it used to and the way it should.”
With 3 victory lane NOS baths already this season, Kyle Busch is making huge waves in the NOS Energy Drink camp. “I knew we had a winner on our hands from the start. It’s one thing to have that in your head, quite a different thing seeing him constantly running up top and winning races.” Said Mike Fine, Brand Director for NOS Energy Drink. “This was a huge weekend for Kyle Busch and NOS. If this is a taste of what’s to come the rest of the year, we’re in for an amazing season!”
For more information on Team NOS and NOS Energy Drink, go to www.drinkNOS.com.