Kyle Busch takes a broom to Bristol
Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kyle Busch made NASCAR history.
Not popular history, but history nonetheless.
With his dominating victory in Saturday’s Irwin Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Busch became the first driver to win a race in all three of NASCAR's national series – Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks – in the same week at the same track.
Busch, 25, won Wednesday night's Truck series race as well as Friday night's Nationwide event at Bristol.
Saturday night's win is Busch’s third in the Cup series this season, 19th of his career and fourth on the .533-mile highly banked concrete oval.
"This is pretty cool," Busch said.
"Your dreams come true at this place. This is right at the top ... It's like winning Daytona."
David Reutimann finished second and Jamie McMurray third. Clint Bowyer, who has been battling to remain in the 12-driver championship Chase, was fourth and Kasey Kahne fifth.
As Busch took the checkered flag Saturday night, he was met with a cascade of heavy boos from the near-capacity crowd.
On Friday night after winning the Nationwide race while wrecking then-leader Brad Keselowski in the process, Busch was also booed. As he exited his car, he rubbed his eyes, wiping mock tears from his eyes. It incited the crowd even more.
Pole-winner Jimmie Johnson took control early in Saturday night's race, leading 169 of the first 171 laps and appeared virtually untouchable.
Busch finally was able to make up ground and get around Johnson for the lead on Lap 172. He led the next 23 laps before Johnson retook the point during a round of pit stops under caution on Lap 195.
On the restart on Lap 200, Busch quickly made his way back around Johnson.
This time, Busch stayed out front for 55 laps until a caution came out on Lap 254 for an accident involving Bobby Labonte in Turn 2.
McMurray led one lap under the caution, but Busch was first off pit road and was back in command on Lap 262.
While racing for position on Lap 263, Juan Pablo Montoya and Johnson made contact, sending the No. 48 Chevrolet into the wall. That brought out the sixth caution.
Johnson’s car suffered extensive damage and he was forced to the garage for repairs.
On the restart on Lap 269, Busch held his lead and was not seriously challenged until McMurray ran him down and got around on Lap 389.
McMurray's advantage didn't last long, however, as teams were forced to begin a round of green-flag pit stops on Lap 400.
Shortly after those stops, Busch and Jeff Green got together and a caution was displayed for debris on the track on Lap 410.
As the green waved again on Lap 414, Reutimann took over the lead, followed by Busch, McMurray, Bowyer and Ryan Newman.
Busch got around Reutimann for the lead with 72 laps remaining.
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