Busch makes it 2 for 2

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kyle Busch wasn’t making friends either way.

Busch intentionally wrecked Brad Keselowski to take the lead for the final time, then had to hold off Dale Earnhardt Jr., among others, to win Friday night’s Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

After Busch made his traditional victory burnout on the frontstretch, he exited his No. 18 Toyota to a loud chorus of boos.

His response: Busch raised both his hands and pretended he was rubbing tears from his eyes.

“I tried and tried and tried to stay clean racing with Brad, almost cleared him and got in front of him – it was a slide job,” Busch said. “He got in back of me and ran me in the wall.

“I said, ‘Forget it. If you want to play that game, I’ll play it back’ and I dumped him.”

The win was Busch’s 10th in the Nationwide Series this season, which ties the record set by Busch in 2008 and Sam Ard in 1983. There are still 11 races remaining and Busch is entered in most of them.

“This car has won everywhere. It’s an awesome race car,” he said.

The statistics back Busch up.

Chassis No. 1861, the car Busch drove Friday night, has now won eight of the last 10 races it has been used (seven with Busch and one with Denny Hamlin).

Keselowski, as expected, was none-too-happy with the outcome.

He suffered only minor damage from the incident with Busch, but after pitting and starting back in the field, he got caught up in another wreck several laps later.

"It was hard racing, going for the win,” he said. “He almost cleared me and he kind of took it for granted that I was just going to let him in line and I didn’t.

“That was his right. I’m not going to sit here and complain about it. I'm going to get to work and work on beating his ass.”

Jason Leffler ended up second, Elliott Sadler finished third, Earnhardt slipped to fourth and Carl Edwards was fifth. Keselowski remains the series points leader with a 313-advantage over Edwards.