Kyle Busch Does the Double in Winning Texas Nationwide Race

Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

FORT WORTH, TX - RIS - Kyle Busch had just celebrated a win Friday night in the Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, but he proved he wasn't finished in the Lone Star State.  He had cause for more celebration Saturday afternoon by winning the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge by outdueling Joey Logano. 

Busch passed Joey Logano with 42 of 200 laps remaining then maintained his lead through a late round of green-flag pit stops to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway. The victory was the 100th for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series, and Busch has accounted for 58 of those wins.

“I’m really proud of our whole Nationwide Series program. When we first started, it took us about five years to win a race but we got it going,” said JGR team owner Joe Gibbs. “We really appreciate this.”

The win was Busch’s seventh in the series this season and 70th of his career. It was also Busch’s seventh win at Texas.

“It’s a special moment for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Busch. “Everybody at the body shop, engine shop, chassis shop, they’ve worked hard for a long time to get this many wins and they’ve done a great job.

“I’m just glad to be a small part of the effort.”

Logano finished second, Ryan Blaney was third, Elliott was fourth and Matt Kenseth was fifth. Logano and Blaney were in Team Penske Ford Mustangs while Elliott was in a JR Motorsports Chevrolet, and the winner and Kenseth were in JGR Toyota Camrys.

With two races remaining in the season, Elliott now holds a 48-point lead over his JR Motorsports teammate, Regan Smith, in the series championship standings. With over a race worth of a lead, Elliott is virtually assured to win his first series championship this season.

“I felt this was one of our best performances from start to finish in a race,” said Elliott. “Hats off to everyone on our team. We had phenomenal pit stops, and we were right there with (the leaders) at the end.”

Elliott can clinch the series title next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway if he holds at least a 48-point lead following the race.

Elliott Sadler missed qualifying Saturday morning because of a stomach virus. He started the race but got out his No. 11 Toyota under the first caution. Clint Bowyer drove the remainder of the race and finished ninth.

Polesitter Logano took the lead on Lap 1 and led the first 33 laps before giving away to Trevor Bayne.  Bayne held the lead until Lap 48 when he cut down a tire and slammed the wall.  His car burst into flames, but Bayne was not injured.

Busch took the lead for the first time on Lap 53 and led 116 of the 200 laps.  Clearly the dominator, only thre other drivers led--Bayne for 15 laps, Regan Smith for five laps, and Kenseth for five laps. 

Unofficial Race Results: 10th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Lap, Pts, BPts, TLd, LLd, Status
1) 6, Kyle Busch(i), No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, 200, 0, , 6, 116, Running
2) 1, Joey Logano(i), No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, 200, 0, , 5, 59, Running
3) 5, Ryan Blaney(i), No. 12 Snap-On Ford, 200, 0, , , , Running
4) 11, Chase Elliott#, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 200, 40, , , , Running
5) 13, Matt Kenseth(i), No. 20 GameStop/Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Toyota, 200, 0, , 1, 5, Running
6) 4, Brian Scott, No. 2 Country Bob's Sauce Chevrolet, 200, 38, , , , Running
7) 3, Austin Dillon(i), No. 33 Grainger Chevrolet, 200, 0, , , , Running
8) 7, Kevin Harvick(i), No. 5 Hunt Brother's Pizza Chevrolet, 200, 0, , , , Running
9) 17, Elliott Sadler, No. 11 OneMain Financial Toyota, 200, 35, , , , Running
10) 22, Dakoda Armstrong#, No. 43 WinField Ford, 200, 34, , , , Running
11) 9, Regan Smith, No. 7 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet, 200, 34, 1, 1, 5, Running
12) 38, Kyle Larson(i), No. 42 Philips Norelco Chevrolet, 200, 0, , , , Running
13) 15, Chris Buescher#, No. 60 Bit O Honey Ford, 200, 31, , , , Running
14) 14, Dylan Kwasniewski#, No. 31 AccuDoc Solutions/Rockstar Chevrolet, 199, 30, , , , Running
15) 8, Ty Dillon#, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, 199, 29, , , , Running
16) 12, Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Smokey Mountain Snuff Chevrolet, 199, 28, , , , Running
17) 10, Ryan Reed#, No. 16 ADA Drive to Stop Diabetes/Lilly Diabetes Ford, 199, 27, , , , Running
18) 21, Mike Bliss, No. 19 Tweaker Energy Shot Toyota, 199, 26, , , , Running
19) 27, Landon Cassill, No. 01 G&K Services Chevrolet, 198, 25, , , , Running
20) 23, JJ Yeley, No. 28 Texas 28 Spirits Stage Dodge, 197, 24, , , , Running
21) 24, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Crescent Companies Chevrolet, 197, 23, , , , Running
22) 29, Kevin Swindell, No. 93 JGL Racing Dodge, 197, 22, , , , Running
23) 16, John Wes Townley, No. 25 Zaxby's Toyota, 196, 0, , , , Running
24) 28, James Buescher, No. 99 Rheem Toyota, 195, 20, , , , Running
25) 26, David Starr, No. 44 Whataburger Toyota, 194, 19, , , , Running
26) 25, Eric McClure, No. 14 Hefty Ultimate/Reynolds Wrap Toyota, 194, 18, , , , Running
27) 32, Tanner Berryhill#, No. 17 New Gulf Resources Toyota, 194, 17, , , , Running
28) 19, Chad Boat#, No. 84 Corvetteparts.net Chevrolet, 193, 16, , , , Running
29) 37, Robert Richardson Jr., No. 23 Willbros Chevrolet, 192, 15, , , , Running
30) 34, Jamie Dick, No. 55 Viva Auto Group Chevrolet, 187, 14, , , , Running
31) 35, Matt DiBenedetto, No. 40 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet, 168, 13, , , , Running
32) 20, Corey LaJoie(i), No. 98 Medallion Financial/Smithfield Ford, 128, 0, , , , Accident
33) 18, Ryan Sieg#, No. 39 JoeUSA.com/Pull-A-Part Chevrolet, 127, 11, , , , Accident
34) 30, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 4 Flex Seal Chevrolet, 85, 10, , , , Engine
35) 33, Martin Roy, No. 90 Gamache Truck Center Chevrolet, 64, 9, , , , Engine
36) 2, Trevor Bayne, No. 6 AdvoCare Ford, 48, 9, 1, 1, 15, Accident
37) 36, Joey Gase, No. 52 Better Business Bureau Chevrolet, 34, 7, , , , Axle
38) 39, Carlos Contreras, No. 87 RaceTrac Convenience Stores Chevrolet, 33, 6, , , , Engine
39) 31, Blake Koch, No. 10 SupportMilitary.org Toyota, 4, 5, , , , Vibration
40) 40, Ryan Ellis, No. 46 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet, 3, 4, , , , Vibration

# = Rookie, Fin = Finish, Str = Start, Pts = Total PoiNo. nts, BPs = Lap Leader Bns Pts, TLd = Times Led, LLd = Laps Led. (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Average Speed: 134.815 MPH
Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 13 Mins, 31 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.561 Seconds
Lead Changes: 13 among 5 drivers
Cautions: 4 for 27 laps

 

Ron Fleshman

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the midle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2014, Issue 10, Posted 12:04 AM, 11.02.2014