Busch 2/3rds of way to sweep in Texas

Kyle Busch celebrates

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Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage may need a broom as well as a pair of six-guns in Victory Lane on Sunday, after Kyle Busch completed the second leg of a possible sweep by winning Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge.

In winning his seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the season, his seventh in 18 starts at Texas, the 70th of his career and the 100th NNS event for Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch led 116 of 200 laps in completing the second leg of a possible weekend sweep at the 1.5-mile speedway.

On Friday night, Busch took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and on Sunday he'll try to record the second weekend trifecta of his career in the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (3 p.m. ET on ESPN), the second event in the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Busch beat polesitter Joey Logano to the finish line by 1.561 seconds in the 300-mile event. Logano could keep up with Busch in the short runs but began to lose ground as each fuel run progressed.

The combination of Busch's long-run car and his migration to the high line at the high-banked speedway was too much for Logano to overcome. Busch saw his own Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Darrell Wallace Jr. run the top successfully in the Truck race on Friday and took the lesson to heart.

"That was just something we found today—actually (Friday) night a little, to be honest with you," Busch said. "Bubba Wallace went up there and he was really fast as well, too, up there. I took a little bit from that and also what I learned in that race as well.

"I never got as high as Bubba did, but I got somewhat up there. Just put that to today and was able to use it to our advantage. It felt really good to run up there and be fast like that and have good speed. Hopefully, some of that comes in (on Sunday)."

Busch will be trying to duplicate the feat he accomplished in August 2010 at Bristol, where he won races in Trucks, Nationwide and Cup.

"The opportunity for that tomorrow would be something special," Busch said. "I'd cherish it as much as the first one… You don't' get very many opportunities to capitalize on all three."

Ryan Blaney, Logano's Team Penske teammate, finished third, followed by series leader Chase Elliott, who extended his margin in the standings to 48 points over 11th-place finisher Regan Smith. If he maintains that advantage after next Saturday's race at Phoenix, Elliott will clinch the series championship in the next-to-last race of his rookie season.

Matt Kenseth came home fifth, with Brian Scott, Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick behind him. Elliott Sadler got credit for a ninth-place finish after turning his No. 11 Toyota over to relief driver Clint Bowyer under caution on Lap 9.

Bowyer had qualified the car, but Sadler started the race despite suffering from a severe bout of intestinal flu and accompanying nausea that had sidelined him for time trials.

With all the back-and-forth between Busch's No. 54 Toyota and Logano's No. 22 Ford, Logano was hoping for a late-race caution to set up a short run, but the race stayed green for the final 63 laps.

"Kyle and I had a heck of a race, that's for sure," Logano said. "We were able to catch up to him and pass him, but then after about 20 laps or so, it was like a light switch.

"The car would just switch to loose, and he would go by me and drive away. That's what ultimately beat us, having a long run like that at the end."

Hard luck continued to haunt Trevor Bayne, who had passed Logano for the lead on Lap 34, only to slam the Turn 2 wall 15 laps later.

As Bayne was rolling through the center of Turns 1 and 2, he cut to the inside to pass a lapped car. At that instant, the car apparently hit a piece of debris on the track, deflating the right front tire and sending Bayne's No. 6 Ford rocketing into the outside wall.

The car burst into flames and continued through Turn 2 trailing a plume of fire behind it. Bayne escaped the inferno unhurt, but the car—one of his best of the year—was destroyed.

"It is never good to pop a right front tire, or whatever we did there," Bayne said after leaving the infield care center. "Whether it was a line or tire—I think it was a tire—it's never a good time, but especially not when you have the best car you have ever had in your career. That thing was on a rail. I have never had a car so dominant, especially at the Nationwide level.

"It was easy today for the time we were on the race track. The first couple laps I was really loose and needed a small adjustment, but, man, I think we had a great shot to win this race today. My guys have worked so hard all season long and they deserve a win and some cowboy hats here. I don't even know what to say about it. It just blows your mind that something like that can happen on such a great day."

KYLE BUSCH, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 1st

How special is it to get to victory lane today?

"Obviously, it's a special moment for all the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and everybody in the body shop, chassis shop, engine shop — you know they've worked hard for a long time to get this many wins and they've done a great job. I'm just proud to be a part of the effort — a small part of the effort. It's certainly a blast to drive these cars. I can't say enough about Monster Energy and Adam Stevens (crew chief), Jason Ratcliff (JGR crew chief), Dave Rogers (JGR crew chief) — all the crew chiefs that I've been able to win with in the Nationwide Series at Joe Gibbs Racing. The different cars we won in — it just kind of goes to show that everything is always changing. It's good to be back on top here in Texas and getting another win here. Everyone from Adam Stevens (crew chief) to the pit crew did a great job today. Fast stops. It's really cool to be back in victory lane."

How was battling with Joey Logano throughout the race?

"It was interesting there for a little bit. I wasn't sure we were going to have the car to race with to win today. Early on, I wouldn't say we did, but then Adam Stevens (crew chief) made some great adjustments to the car — got us out front. When we were out front, it was fun. Playing with Joey (Logano) there for a little bit today — racing hard, I mean we weren't playing with him — he had a fast car too. Having fun racing with him. Just putting on a good show hopefully for the fans — they should enjoy that one. We were back and forth quite a few times and he was bottom — I was top. If I was bottom he was top. We were all over. So, it was fun. Can't say enough about this Monster Energy Camry. This Toyota Camry was great today."

What does it mean to get the 100th Nationwide Series win for JGR?

"That certainly means a lot to everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. I'm just a small part of it — being able to drive these cars. The guys that do all the work — like Adam Stevens (crew chief), Jason Ratcliff (crew chief), Dave Rogers (crew chief), all the crew chiefs I've won with in the Nationwide Series at Joe Gibbs Racing. The changes we've gone through with the cars and the different things — the old car to this car. Trying to keep up with the times and having different competitors being our main nemesis you'd say. Just trying to go there and beat those guys. Certainly we did it here today, to get 70 (wins) for myself — that's pretty cool. We ain't done yet. We'll keep going."

Can you win your third race this weekend tomorrow?

"I better get some rest tonight cause I got to drive my butt off tomorrow for 500 miles. It ain't going to be easy. It never is in a Cup race. I don't know how many times I've won two of the three (races), but certainly we'd love to give it a shot. We'll see how it goes. Cup car was better today. Like I said today, we got some work cut out for us. I didn't think we were the best car today, but had some real good adjustments on pit road today by my crew chief. So, hopefully some of that stuff will carry over for tomorrow

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