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Busch Dominates in Redbud 300; Sprint Cup Star Leads 209 Laps
About the only
thing that might have gone wrong for
visiting NASCAR Sprint Cup star Kyle Busch was a misstep during his victory bow
after capturing the Red Bud 300 at Anderson Speedway on Monday.
For Busch it was his fourth race in four days and he scored the victory in his
first visit to Anderson Speedway. It was his only victory of the weekend after
competing in the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup
Series of NASCAR.
A large crowd voiced their approval of Busch's win.
Busch started sixth in the 29-car field after qualifying second quick and after
two laps he was up to third by using the low groove to gain positions. Aaron
Pierce led the first 49 laps but Busch was able to make the pass again driving
to the bottom of the race track entering Turn three.
From there Busch was never seriously challenged until the 150-lap mark when
there was halfway break. Pierce was running second followed by Rick Turner, John
Van Doorn and Scott Hantz.
After the break Illinois driver Eddie Hoffman started first after
changing only two tires, Pierce, Eddie Van Meter and Jason Shively took three
tires and Busch restarted fifth after taking on four tires.
Hoffman was counting on a track position strategy to bring him the victory at
Anderson Speedway. Busch moved around Van Meter on the back straight on the
168th lap to move into third. Four laps later he got inside of Pierce to grab
the second spot and set his sights on
Hoffman.
Busch took the lead on lap 191 with an outside pass of Hoffman through the third
and fourth corners and was never seriously challenged to the checkers.
Hoffman strategy appeared to be on the verge of bringing him a second place
finish when he experienced mechanical problems with less than ten laps remaining
and finished a lap down in tenth.
While Busch was driving away there was a good battle for second between Hoffman,
Turner, Pierce, Van Doorn, Chuck Barnes Jr. and Hantz. Several times the drivers
ran side by side fighting for position while trying to avoid lapped traffic.
Busch won by 4.328 seconds.
At the finish Turner finished second followed by Pierce, Van Doorn and Barnes
rounding out the top five.
After taking a victory lap, Busch jumped on the side of his Toyota and his right
foot slipped slightly when he gave his standard bow to the crowd.
"The car was great," Busch said. "I love coming out to the short tracks. We'd
race every night of the week for sure."
It was Busch's second victory with the Champion Racing
Association having won earlier this year at Lanier Speedway in Georgia.
"It was a pretty good run," Turner said. "The car was good in the first half and
we needed a little more bite. In the second half the car got tight."
Pierce said he was trying to keep the fenders on his Chevrolet.
The race was slowed by cautions 10 times for 62 laps. There were three lead
changes among four drivers.
This Saturday Johnny Magee will be looking for his fifth consecutive victory in
a 200-lap endurance race for the Thunder Car division. Racing starts at 8 p.m.
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