Category: Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • The White Zone: Plate Racing Isn’t Going Away

    The White Zone: Plate Racing Isn’t Going Away

    TALLADEGA, Ala.– “The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading…” and I need to make it clear that restrictor plate racing isn’t going away.

    As usual, yesterday’s GEICO 500 was quite the show of excitement and carnage. We saw cars upside down and a whole gaggle of cars caught up in one wreck, 37 lead changes among 17 different drivers and mayhem coming to the finish line. It was hands down the most competitive race of the season and arguably one of the best races at Talladega. That, however, hasn’t stopped the critics of restrictor plate racing from pointing to the carnage as the argument against it.

    Now plate racing has always come with its detractors. The late David Poole was probably the most hardened critic of restrictor plate racing. Every Monday after a race at Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, he would pen a column in The Charlotte Observer and say on The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that we should knock down the banking at Daytona and Talladega. The wreck with Carl Edwards at Talladega in 2009 sent him over the edge and led to him suffering a fatal heart attack.

    As of late, I’ve started to notice some more people I work with in the media center, I won’t name any of them, who are starting to turn against plate racing.

    Here’s my take on restrictor plate racing: I love it and I’m not ashamed to say it! Whether you like it or not, Daytona and Talladega are the most competitive races of the season and the numbers back that up. The number of passes is higher than at any other track and the lead changes are higher than at any other track. More than anything, it’s unpredictable and anyone who so much as qualifies can realistically win.

    The carnage is always there, but that’s part of the game. If you go into a race weekend at Daytona or Talladega thinking to yourself that you won’t see big crashes, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

    Racing is a dangerous sport. It’s been a dangerous sport since auto racing was born in France in the early 1900s and remains the most dangerous sport in the world. To quote Brad Keselowski, “racing has always been that balance of daredevils and chess players.”

    We’ve seen other forms of racing continue to race at tracks that don’t fit any current safety standards. One of Formula 1’s crown jewel races is held every Memorial Day Sunday on the streets of Monte Carlo and it doesn’t come close to meeting the safety standards of modern F1. Speaking of Memorial Day, IndyCar continues to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway despite the fact that these cars are racing at speeds that couldn’t have been imagined in the early days of the Brickyard. Just last year, we saw heart-stopping wrecks in the days leading up to the Indianapolis 500 because of the emphasis on higher speeds.

    Despite all the dangers of Monaco and Indianapolis, these racing series still race at these historic venues for one reason; they’re the cathedrals that embody the greatness of their respective sports.

    This was the reason that Daytona and Talladega were built in the first place. They were built to be the cathedrals that embody what is so damn great about NASCAR.

    The bottom line is that unless fans can settle for Daytona and Talladega becoming drawn out and uncompetitive like Indianapolis, which is exactly what would happen without the plates, plate racing isn’t going away.

    My plane is about to take off, so I must get going. Until next time, I’ll leave you with this fact. It takes about 142.18 licks to reach the center of a Tootsie pop.

     

  • Attendance Woes Continue, Need To Cater To Millennials

    Attendance Woes Continue, Need To Cater To Millennials

    Whether you watch the races in person or from the comfort of your own home, one thing remains consistent from track to track, the lack of spectators in attendance. It’s no secret that NASCAR has been struggling with attendance in recent years. Most tracks have resorted to reducing their seating capacities. Daytona, Charlotte, Atlanta, Richmond, California, Talladega, Chicagoland, Michigan, Homestead and Darlington have all reduced their seating capacities significantly.

    One of the biggest eye-openers this season was the recent race at Bristol. The track holds nearly 160,000 spectators and to say it was even half full is being generous. In Bristol’s prime, those in attendance would sacrifice their firstborn just to watch a race from the last great Colosseum. Fast forward to today, Bruton Smith might have to start sacrificing a goat in hopes of filling the stands back to its glory days.

    Then, there’s Richmond, who took out their entire backstretch seating of approximately 9,000 seats leading up to the race last Sunday. Overall they’ve reduced capacity from over 100,000 seats to just over 60,000. Following the reductions at Richmond, sections of the stands still lacked spectators during Sunday’s race.

    Should NASCAR press the panic button? Not yet and here’s why.

    We’ve all heard the term “millennial,” which typically refers to those that are born from the mid-1980s to around 2000; I’m one of them. The average millennial, when at a sporting event, doesn’t want to be confined to one seat for the duration of that event. Think of it this way, for most of us it’s a social gathering that happens to take place at a sports venue. For old timers and passionate fans, this might be hard to accept. However, for someone like myself who can relate to my fellow millennials, it’s true.

    If NASCAR wants to capture the millennial audience, it needs to take a look at its current racing venues. Most of these venues are no more than a set of metal bleachers thrown up on a slab of concrete, basically a glorified high school football stadium with a racetrack in the middle. This might have been acceptable 15 years ago, but not today.

    Many professional sports stadiums are already catering to the needs of millennials. They’re providing millennials with beer gardens and bars that overlook the playing surfaces, locally fresh made food and brewed beers, standing room areas that provide for social gathering spots and networking, WiFi, cell phone charging stations and much more. Daytona Rising is a perfect example of how the sport needs to evolve into capturing the younger audience.

    The days of having just metal bleachers at a racetrack need to come to an end.  The days of seeing over 100,000 spectators at each race might have actually come to an end, but if NASCAR can bring the desires of the millennials to its race day experience, it might have a chance at capturing their fandom.

    Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the only issue resulting in the attendance woes, but it’s an important one if NASCAR wants to see growth.

  • GasBuddy partners with MAKE Motorsports in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

    GasBuddy partners with MAKE Motorsports in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

    SHELBY, N.C. (April 26, 2016) – GasBuddy, the world’s leading gas mobile app, joins MAKE Motorsports as the primary sponsor of the No. 50 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Travis Kvapil for multiple races in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, beginning with Kansas Speedway on Friday, May 6.

    “NASCAR, MAKE Motorsports and GasBuddy share many key characteristics: driving, teamwork and fueling up efficiently,” said Mike Schneider, chief marketing officer for GasBuddy. “Millions of people turn to GasBuddy to save money at the pumps and we look forward to revving up our exposure in this exciting market.”

    With more than 56 million downloads and 15 million monthly active users, GasBuddy is home to the world’s largest network of people working together daily to save money at the pump.

    “GasBuddy is a great sponsor for our team and I am very happy to have their support as we move into the rest of the season.” stated Travis Kvapil, driver of the No. 50 GasBuddy Chevrolet. “This partnership is a huge deal for a small team like ours. We have been working hard to improve weekly and GasBuddy will help us make those improvements.”

    Corvetteparts.net, Wix Filters, ZAK Products, Beaver Bail Bonds, Laird Plastics, and Markanda Social Strategies will continue to serve as major associate sponsors of the No. 50 Chevrolet Silverado.

    The Toyota Tundra 250 can be seen live on Friday, May 6 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Additional race coverage can be heard live on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
    About MAKE Motorsports
    Hailing from Shelby, N.C., MAKE Motorsports is a race team that competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The moniker “MAKE” is made up of the first letters of the first names of the owners’ children – Mark Beaver’s son Mikey and daughters Amanda and Emily, and Tracy Lowe’s daughter Katelyn. For more information about MAKE Motorsports, please visit www.MAKEMotorsports.com, Facebook.com/MAKEMotorsports or find them on Twitter (@MAKEMotorsports).

    About GasBuddy
    GasBuddy is the world’s leading app that helps consumers find cheap fuel. With over 56 million downloads and 15 million monthly active users, GasBuddy is home to the world’s largest network of people working together daily to outsmart the pump. The app has the most real-time fuel prices with more than 2 million user-submitted price updates every day. From price hike alerts to exclusive discounts on favorite brands, GasBuddy is the most comprehensive money-saving companion while on the road. Download the free app at www.gasbuddy.com/app

  • NASCAR Updates Lug Nut Rules

    NASCAR Updates Lug Nut Rules

    By Staff report | NASCAR.com

    NASCAR has made updates to the rule book regarding lug nuts, effective immediately. 

    In a memo sent to teams Monday, the sanctioning body informed organizations that they will be expected to have all five lug nuts installed in a safe and secure manner throughout all national series events. 

    Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition issued an official statement.

    “NASCAR has been closely monitoring the aggressive strategies on pit road. Safety is an area we do not take lightly, as our record has clearly indicated. It’s important for us to have a system in place immediately for addressing lug nut installation while we also work alongside the industry to develop the best long-term solution.”

    Any identification of missing lug nut(s) on a wheel will result in the following penalties for Sprint Cup Series teams:

    If found pre-race, it counts as an unapproved adjustment and the team will have to start at the tail of the field and must make a correction immediately.

    Tires intended for race use without all five lug nuts glued to the wheel results in a written warning and must be corrected immediately.  If found post-race, the first offense is a minimum of $20,000 fine and crew chief suspension for one race and probation. Multiple offenses will result in escalated penalties.

    Penalties are as follows for NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series teams.

    NXS: Post-race (P3 penalty) First offense: minimum of $10,000 fine, crew chief suspension for one race and probation.

    NCWTS: Post-race (P3 penalty) First offense: minimum of $5,000 fine, crew chief suspension for one race and probation.

    Lug Nut Rules Update to Rule Book 4-25-16

  • ISC Names New Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood III and Announces Chip Wile as New Track President of Daytona

    ISC Names New Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood III and Announces Chip Wile as New Track President of Daytona

    International Speedway Corporation Names New Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood III
    Announces New President of Daytona International Speedway

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – April 25, 2016 – International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) (“ISC”) today announced that Joie Chitwood III, Executive Vice President, ISC and President of Daytona International Speedway, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of ISC. Concurrently, the Company announced that Chip Wile, President of Darlington Raceway, has been promoted to President of Daytona International Speedway.

    “Joie has played a tremendous role in the success of our flagship racetrack at Daytona International Speedway since 2010,” stated ISC CEO Lesa France Kennedy.  “Most recently, his leadership of the DAYTONA Rising project, while simultaneously operating the facility, has demonstrated his operational acumen.”

    Chitwood moves into the newly-formed role of COO following oversight of the Company’s largest development to-date – the $400 million transformation of Daytona International Speedway into the world’s first motorsports stadium, along with the 2010 repave of the Speedway. In his new position, Chitwood will oversee ISC enterprise facility operations, along with strengthening key industry initiatives.

    “Joie’s promotion is well deserved and reflects his achievements and increased role in the Company’s future,” said John Saunders, President of ISC. “He brings a distinct passion, creativity, and drive to this new role and we look forward to his contributions.”

    Wile, promoter of one of NASCAR’s most successful events of the 2015 season – the Bojangles’ Southern 500, will transition from leadership of Darlington Raceway to President of Daytona International Speedway.  In just two years as President of Darlington Raceway, Wile transformed the facility’s identity and impact on and off the track. He spearheaded a five-year strategy to reinvent Darlington Raceway with an inaugural Throwback Campaign during NASCAR’s return to Darlington on Labor Day weekend, in addition to re-engaging the local community hosting nearly 15 annual events. In his new role, Wile will oversee promotion and operation of the new motorsports stadium beginning with its first major event, the Country 500 over Memorial Day weekend, followed by the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola.

    “Chip personifies the ideal track president being someone who values relationship building as the catalyst for collaboration and promotion,” stated Kennedy. “He not only operates with a fan-first mentality, but is deeply community-focused and a real team player, all of which will serve him well in this new role.”

    About ISC

    International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities.  The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida (home of the DAYTONA 500®); Talladega Superspeedway® in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway® located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway® in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern CaliforniaSM near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway® in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway® in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 RacewaySM near Chicago, Illinois;  Homestead-Miami SpeedwaySM in Florida; Martinsville Speedway® in Virginia; Darlington Raceway® in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International® in New York.

    The Company also owns and operates Motor Racing NetworkSM, the nation’s largest independent sports radio network and Americrown Service CorporationSM, a subsidiary that provides catering services, and food and beverage concessions.  In addition, the Company has a 50 percent interest in the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.  For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com.

     

  • Ben Kennedy Set to Join GMS Racing Driver Lineup

    Ben Kennedy Set to Join GMS Racing Driver Lineup

    Ben Kennedy signs multi-race deal with GMS Racing

    Statesville N.C. (April 25, 2016) – Team officials announced today that Ben Kennedy will join the GMS Racing stable for a multi-race deal with 10 races already confirmed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races, beginning May 6 at Kansas Speedway. Kennedy will pilot the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado alongside teammates Johnny Sauter and Spencer Gallagher. Kennedy has 53 NCWTS starts under his belt and looks to claim his first victory in the series with GMS Racing.

    “I am very excited to join GMS Racing for the remainder of the 2016 season,” says Kennedy. “I have watched the organization grow into a powerhouse team over the last year. All of their teams show up to the track each weekend with fast Chevrolets and I have total confidence that GMS will provide me with a solid truck each weekend. It’s a great privilege to join Johnny (Sauter), Spencer (Gallagher), Kaz (Grala) and Grant (Enfinger) in the driver lineup. I am looking forward to the accomplishments we will achieve together as a team. ”

    Jacob Companies, a first-year partner of Kennedy, plans to continue their support under the GMS Racing banner.

    “We are excited to have the opportunity to continue to support Ben with this new opportunity with GMS Racing,” states Don Perry, President of Jacob Companies. “Ben and GMS Racing exemplify the foundation of our business, which was built on respect, hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Ben’s excitement and enthusiasm for the sport compliments the way we feel not only about NASCAR, but also our construction projects. Ben is just the kind of young man we want to represent and have act as an ambassador for our company. We can’t wait to see him and the Jacob truck in the winner’s circle with GMS!”

    Additional details on new partners and schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

    ABOUT GMS RACING, LLC: GMS Racing LLC, competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Spencer Gallagher, Johnny Sauter, Kaz Grala, Ben Kennedy and Grant Enfinger; and part-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Formerly based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, home of Allegiant Travel, GMS Racing is now housed in a 100,000-square-foot state of the art campus in Statesville, North Carolina.

  • The Silent Killer That Surrounds Us

    The Silent Killer That Surrounds Us

    On Jan. 22, 2003 NASCAR driver Rick Mast, then 45, announced that he was retiring from racing due to due to acute and chronic carbon monoxide poisoning from the race cars he occupied for over 15 years. He became the first NASCAR driver to announce that carbon monoxide was a contributing factor in his decision to retire from racing. According to an article in the New York Times, dated Feb. 2, 2003, Mast’s symptoms included being disoriented and falling ill for days at a time.

    According to the Mayo Clinic, “Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, your body replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This can lead to serious tissue damage or even death. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gas, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow carbon monoxide to accumulate to dangerous levels.”

    Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of just about everything that motorsports does. In race cars, much progress has been made to keep the drivers safer from carbon monoxide while they race.  It was very common in the 1990s and early 2000s for carbon monoxide to be a factor in a race.

    Reports from Michigan in 1991 indicated that Dale Earnhardt was ill after damage early in the race to his vehicle caused carbon monoxide to build up. In September of 1998, Ricky Rudd extended his annual Cup Series race win streak at Martinsville. At the race track, Rudd collapsed in Victory Lane and it was reported at the time that it was because his cooling system failed and it was almost 100 degrees at race time. However, carbon monoxide was also an issue.

    Ward Burton had an issue in the motor coach lot prior to the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. After the race, Burton said, “It went from one end of the spectrum to the other all day. The motorhome compound is so tight here that I got a little carbon monoxide poisoning last night and that kind of played against me. I wasn’t 100 percent in the car late in the race. I hope Humpy and them will do something about that because that’s not right. We were all over the place. The generator fumes were coming up under the bus and I started to get a hell of a headache. The buses are so close together it’s like you can hardly open the doors.”

    From 1999 to 2010 the Center for Disease control noted that there were 5,149 deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in non-fire circumstances. In the NASCAR world, the biggest carbon monoxide issues are not in the race cars or garage areas but in the camping and living areas, where deaths have been reported in the past. So take so, me time and review the portable CO buying guide to protect yourself and others from accidental poisoning.

    I recall an incident at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2002 when two campers died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to them trying to heat their tent with a charcoal grill during a record cold snap. As recent as 2013, a camper died when his RV had a leaky exhaust causing carbon monoxide to build up at the Talladega Superspeedway.

    The author has personal experience with carbon monoxide poisoning. In 1987 his fraternity house furnace malfunctioned when it was -20 degrees. Having been trained in the US Marine Corps about the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, the fire department was called and they used special equipment along with a carbon monoxide respirator to inspect the house.  A disaster was averted when local officials deemed the house unsuitable for living quarters until the furnace was fixed.

    As the NASCAR season is underway and the weather has been somewhat unpredictable up and down the east coast, generator safety is paramount. Generators are a source of electricity for RVs, travel trailers, pop-up campers, and tent campers. One thing I’ve personally witnessed is the variety of ways generator owners try to protect their investment in a generator. They will build wooden boxes with covers but those don’t necessarily consider the proper and safe operation of the generator.

    One product that any generator owner should consider is the GenTent (http://www.gentent.com/).

    “Regardless of the numerous published warnings, consumers continue to operate portable generators in unsafe manners which prove to result in serious injuries and deaths every year,” said Mark Carpenter, CEO, Founder, GenTent Safety Canopies. “GenTent’s Top 10 Portable Generator Safety Tips list is a playbook for the proper use of portable generators and it enables owners to experience safe generator use year-round.”

    The folks from GenTent have created a product that allows generators to be operated safely in any kind of weather. More importantly, it allows the ventilation of carbon monoxide outside the tented area. The website is a plethora of information regarding safely operating a generator.

    As people load up their campers and head to the track, it’s important to remind everyone that carbon monoxide is an odorless gas and can kill in minutes. Take a few moments to check over your generator and correct any issues with its operation. It could mean the difference between life and death.

  • The White Zone: The Garage is Not a Playground

    The White Zone: The Garage is Not a Playground

    “The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading…” and I need to make it clear that the NASCAR garage is not a place for lolly-gagging.

    After Kyle Busch wrecked out of the race and brought his car behind the wall, his car ran into a woman taking pictures. The woman, Erin Vandyke, was treated at the infield care center and later taken to a local hospital. As of the publishing of this piece, it’s unknown if she’s been released.

    I decided to talk about this because I’ve seen people tweet that Busch should be suspended for this. Well here’s the thing, the garage area is not a playground where you can just do whatever as a fan.

    Before I could start working in the media center, I was told there are two standing rules in the NASCAR garage area: be aware of your surroundings and DO NOT interfere with pit crew operations. Ignoring one or both of those rules are the fastest ways to get your hot pass pulled. In order to work in the media center, I have to keep my head on a swivel and make sure my photography isn’t preventing a crew member from getting to where he/she needs to go.

    Yet in the three races I’ve been on assignment this season, I’ve seen constant cases of fans not paying attention to their surroundings and being in the way of crew members trying to get to their destination. This is especially apparent when the track is hot and the cars are rolling in and out of the garage. I can’t count how many times that I’ve about gotten hit by cars because I can barely get out of their way with some fan behind me who won’t move. Just yesterday, because far too many people had hot passes at Bristol, I couldn’t move out of the way of a member of Casey Mears’s team who was taking gas cans back to the stall. If a security person had been near, I probably would’ve had my hot pass pulled because of fans who just had to be looking at their damn phones.

    The point I’m driving at here is that the race track is a dangerous place and you must have constant awareness of your surroundings. If you don’t, you’re going to get yourself injured or killed. If fans continue to not pay attention, NASCAR will start coming down harder on you and make hot passes harder to get.

    My plane is about to take off, so I must get going. Until next time, I’ll leave you with this fact. Winston Churchill was born in a ladies room during a dance.

    The opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of the writer. They may or may not represent the views of SpeedwayMedia.com.

  • Ben Kennedy parts company with Red Horse Racing

    Ben Kennedy parts company with Red Horse Racing

    BRISTOL, Tenn.– In case you missed it, Ben Kennedy is looking for a new team for which to race.

    On Friday, Red Horse Racing announced that the driver of the No. 11 Toyota would part ways with the team. They had re-signed him through the 2016 season back in February, but he won’t continue as their driver.

    “We wish Ben all the best in his career,” said team owner Tom DeLoach. “Red Horse Racing will continue to focus on pursuing the championship with Timothy Peters and the No. 17. We expect to field two teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and we will announce further plans as they are confirmed.”

    Kennedy released a statement saying he “[wished] Red Horse Racing and Timothy [Peters] the best for the 2016 season and beyond. I thank them for their support since 2015 as I have enjoyed competing with them. However, I’m interested in pursuing other racing opportunities in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and possibly the NASCAR XFINITY Series. I love NASCAR racing and I’m eager to continue to compete, learn and improve.”

    Since joining Red Horse Racing in 2015, the son of Lesa France Kennedy, grandson of Bill France Jr. and great-grandson of Bill France Sr. amassed eight top-10 finishes and a career best third-place finish on three occasions at Atlanta, Mosport and Las Vegas.

  • For Kyle Busch, Winning is Everything

    For Kyle Busch, Winning is Everything

    We’ve all heard the adage, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. For racers, nothing could be further from the truth. Winning is everything.

    And no matter how fervently they insist that they couldn’t have done it without the entire team, the reality is much simpler. The owner may have given him the best equipment, the crew chief may have executed the perfect strategies and the pit crew may have performed flawlessly to get their driver in position to win.

    But, when the green flag waves and everything is on the line, it all comes down to one thing…the driver. How badly does he want it and what is he willing to risk?

    As Dale Earnhardt once said, “The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car; it’s the one who refuses to lose.”

    No current driver embodies this competitive spirit more so than Kyle Busch.

    After an injury in the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race in 2015 left Busch sidelined for 11 races, he came back to capture five checkered flags, including the season finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway and won the Sprint Cup championship.

    It seemed as if the time away spent with wife, Samantha, and the birth of his son, Brexton, had given him a new perspective. We saw a more mature and focused driver. And while he is still prone to the occasional bursts of temper when things don’t go his way, Busch is slowly shedding his role as villain and embracing his reign as Champ.

    He hasn’t lost any steam this year.

    Busch has won four straight NASCAR national touring races, scoring the victory at last week’s Camping World Truck Series race as well as the Sprint Cup race at Martinsville. He followed that up with another sweep at Texas Motor Speedway, winning the XFINITY Series race and his second consecutive Cup race.

    His 36th Sprint Cup Series victory ties him with Matt Kenseth for 20th place on the all-time wins list. Additionally, Busch gained two spots to lead the points standings, six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson in second place.

    Add to that, 80 XFINITY wins and 45 in the Camping World Truck Series, and you begin to grasp the enormity of what he has accomplished.

    Busch is enjoying his success and life in general.

    “It’s pretty darn good, I’ll tell you that,” he said after the Cup race at Texas. “I’ve got a great wife, a great son and I’m having a blast, living the dream.”

    While he’s savoring this year’s success, Busch is also looking ahead to the future and the possibilities are endless.

    “There are plenty of things that are out there to achieve,” Busch recently said. “Building that win column, to be able to build that to 100 or something like that. That would be pretty special. Now whether 100 is reachable or not, I doubt it, but we’ll give it our best shot.”

    Hero or villain, Busch’s talent on the track is undeniable. The ride may sometimes get bumpy but it is always compelling.