Kyle Busch wrecks at Kansas, calls track “worse track we race on”

Kyle Busch's wrecked car

Getty Images for NASCAR

Kansas Speedway was Kyle Busch's biggest fear entering the Chase.

It turned into his worst nightmare. Busch, who entered the race third in the Chase standings, was involved in two wrecks Sunday at Kansas. The second one was potentially catastrophic, possibly ruining his championship hopes.

Busch spun after contact with Juan Pablo Montoya on Lap 187, but suffered no significant damage to his car and returned to the track.

But 13 laps later, Busch made contact with Carl Edwards and Brian Vickers, sending him crashing into the wall and knocking him out of the race.

Busch entered the race third in the Chase standings, just 12 points behind leader Matt Kenseth in what had developed into a three-man race at the top of the standings.

But Busch finished 34th at Kansas and fell to fifth in the standings, 35 points behind.

"I have no idea what happened on the last one," Busch told reporters after the crash. "All I know is, we are in Kansas, right?"

Busch has wrecked in his last three races at Kansas and has never scored a top-five finish on the 1.5-mile track.

With a new tire and a fast, slick track that has given drivers trouble since being repaved last year, several drivers spun and wrecked. Busch barely missed Danica Patrick's wreck on Lap 1 and then collided with Montoya on Lap 187.

He was not happy with Montoya, who spun him as the two raced onto the apron of the track.

"He won't be missed," Busch said of Montoya, who is leaving NASCAR to return to IndyCar next season.

Edwards appeared to bump Busch from behind, sending him into Vickers and igniting the crash.

"Apparently, everybody just (decided to) run over the 18 car and get what you need," Busch said.

As for his championship hopes, Busch said: "We just have to work hard and keep doing what we were doing to get us to this point all year long, and that's consistency.

"Every other track except Kansas seems to bode well for us. We'll see what happens. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen and it wasn't meant to be."

Busch, who wrecked in practice on Saturday, was not happy with the track conditions.

"The racetrack is the worst racetrack I've ever driven on," Busch said. "The tire is the worst tire I've ever driven on. Track position is everything. You can't do anything unless you're out front and then you get back in traffic — Kevin Harvick couldn't pass me and he led the first 80 laps of the race so I would say it was pretty pathetic." Sporting News