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Tag: Kyle Busch Motorsports

  • Joey Coulter’s Dream Comes True with First Ever Truck Win at Pocono

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”219″][/media-credit]With his mother Susan screaming “Burn out time” and “Oh, I love Pocono,” Joey Coulter’s dream of winning a race came true.

    The driver of the No. 22 RCR/darrellgwynnfoundation.com Chevrolet got his first win in the 3rd annual Pocono Mountains 125 and the first win ever in his Truck Series career.

    Coulter is the ninth different winner this season to visit Victory Lane and the fourth different first-time winner of 2012.

    “It feels amazing and there’s no way to describe it,” Coulter said. “I just can’t thank everyone enough for the opportunity. I can’t thank them enough for sticking behind me.”

    “It’s a dream come true,” Coulter continued. “Call me in three days when it finally hits me.”

    Coulter acknowledged that his racing has always included his family and that indeed his mom was even more excited than he was.

    “For us, it’s always been a family event,” Coulter said. “They’ve been the ones to help me get here.”

    “To have them at the race track every weekend is a huge part of my career.”

    Coulter’s mother Susan echoed the family pride in her son’s racing career and his first trip to Victory Lane.

    “I am so proud of him,” Susan Coulter said of her winning son. “He’s worked so hard for this since he was 8 years old.”

    “He did this one himself,” Susan Coulter continued. “We have the best team in the world. I’m so happy.

    While Coulter’s family was ecstatic, team owner Richard Childress was equally proud of his young driver. And he also revealed that Coulter, in his opinion, is ready to go to the next level in the sport.

    “Joey’s had a really fast truck for the last two years and misfortunes would take him out of the winner’s circle,” Childress said. “I’m really happy for his family and for the whole Coulter team.”

    “We’re talking about running in the Nationwide Series with him next year,” Childress continued. “Sponsorship is the key to putting it together.”

    An important part of that Coulter RCR team has been crew chief Harold Holly. Coulter fully credits Holly with “teaching him how to drive” when they first started together in the ARCA Series.

    “This is as big as any of ‘em win-wise,” Holly said of the win. “We have such a strong support group.”

    “I’m tickled to death.”

    James Buescher, piloting the No. 31 Koike Aronson/Ransome Chevrolet, finished second. This was his second top-10 finish in three races at Pocono and his seventh top-10 finish for the season.

    “The Chevy was decent but we were tight all day long,” Buescher said. “Just couldn’t get it to turn on exit on any corner.”

    “I was just trying to keep up with Nelson and stayed out to lead a lap,” Buescher continued. “The truck was good but it wasn’t the fastest truck out there.”

    “We’ll just dust it off, take it to Michigan and try to get back to it.”

    Probably the most disappointed racer when the checkered flag flew was Nelson Piquet Jr., who sat on the pole and was by far the dominant truck for most of the race. Piquet Jr. finished third, scoring his first top-10 finish in two races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.”

    “I don’t know what to say,” Piquet Jr. said. “There’s only one word that can describe it and that’s frustration.”

    “The last restart was a bit of a problem,” Piquet continued. “It’s a shame.”

    “It was another race that we could have won.”

    Piquet Jr. was also involved with one of the more dramatic moments of the race when he and veteran Todd Bodine tangled, with Bodine getting the worst end or it, including a trip to the infield care center.

    After exiting his race truck, Bodine hurled his helmet in the direction of Piquet, Jr.

    “Nelson didn’t get a good run off two and I pulled down to start drafting,” Bodine said. “I should have known better not to trust Nelson to do the right thing, just move over and side draft with me.”

    “You watch tomorrow in the Cup race and you’ll see it a million times,” Bodine continued. “I know Nelson feels like he owes me one, from Kansas I think.”

    “We had a great truck,” Bodine said. “It’s a shame that ignorance has to take you out of the race.”

    Without a doubt, Piquet Jr. had a different take on the incident.

    “His spotter should have told him that I was behind him,” Piquet Jr. said. “There’s nothing I could have done.”

    “The move he did was inexperienced,” Piquet continued. “With all the experience he has, there’s no explanation.”

    “Not much to say,” Piquet said. “I couldn’t have done anything else.”

    Ty Dillon, driving the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, was the highest finishing rookie driver. Dillon, teammate to race winner Joey Coulter, finished in the sixth spot.

    “I’m kind of disappointed,” Dillon said. “I made a rookie mistake on the first lap that really put us behind.”

    “I’m so proud of my teammate Joey Coulter though,” Dillon said. “That was awesome. I’m really happy for Joey. He’s put his time in.”

    Dillon was most excited about gaining some points in the championship standings. He is now just eight points behind leader Timothy Peters.

    “We’ve got some good momentum coming,” Dillon said. “I think we’ve found something.”

    “We’re second, only 8 points out,” Dillon continued. “And we’ll keep trucking.”

    Matt Crafton, in the No. 88 Jeld Wen/Menards Toyota, finished fourth and Danny Hamlin, driving the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 18 GNC Live Well/M&Ms Toyota rounded out the top five.

    “The power of those guys in front of us was big,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t have a great handling truck.”

    “Hopefully now I can give them a little bit of feedback for what I feel like this program needs to work on.”

    Unofficial Race Results
    Pocono Mountains 125, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/truckseries/race.php?race=11
    =========================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 4 22 Joey Coulter Chevrolet 47
    2 5 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 43
    3 1 30 Nelson Piquet Jr. Chevrolet 43
    4 9 88 Matt Crafton Toyota 40
    5 16 18 Denny Hamlin Toyota 0
    6 2 3 Ty Dillon * Chevrolet 38
    7 17 29 Parker Kligerman Ram 37
    8 11 9 John Wes Townley * Toyota 36
    9 35 6 Justin Lofton Chevrolet 35
    10 20 8 Ross Chastain * Toyota 34
    11 14 23 Jason White Ford 34
    12 18 98 Dakoda Armstrong * Toyota 32
    13 3 32 Miguel Paludo Chevrolet 31
    14 15 33 Cale Gale * Chevrolet 30
    15 6 2 Tim George Jr. Chevrolet 29
    16 25 27 C E Falk Chevrolet 28
    17 19 99 Bryan Silas * Ford 27
    18 23 84 Chris Fontaine Chevrolet 26
    19 10 9 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 25
    20 34 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet 24
    21 32 159 Kyle Martel Chevrolet 0
    22 8 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 23
    23 27 28 Wes Burton Chevrolet 21
    24 7 5 Paulie Harraka * Ford 20
    25 30 282 Sean Corr Ford 19
    26 12 11 Todd Bodine Toyota 18
    27 13 13 Johnny Sauter Toyota 17
    28 21 93 Dennis Setzer Chevrolet 16
    29 26 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 15
    30 31 225 Brandon Knupp Chevrolet 0
    31 22 7 Jeff Agnew Toyota 13
    32 29 174 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 0
    33 36 175 Adam Edwards Chevrolet 11
    34 28 38 Chris Jones Chevrolet 10
    35 33 0 Chris Lafferty Ram 9
    36 24 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Ram 8

  • Samantha Busch: A Woman of Many Passions

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]While NASCAR race fans may know of Kyle Busch’s passion on the track as driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, they may not be as familiar with the many passions of his wife Samantha.

    One of her biggest and most obvious passions is, of course, her husband, as they are still newlyweds in the midst of a sport that where the spotlight is often on them.

    But Samantha Busch is also very passionate about family, hers, Kyle’s and the family they hope to start together sometime in the future.

    “We still go and do date nights and I cook dinner for him,” Samantha Busch said. “We still hold hands, so we still feel like newlyweds.”

    “I think the biggest thing is that you always lean on each other,” Busch continued. “We’re each others’ rocks. When he has a bad day, I’m here for him and when I have a bad day, he’s there for me.”

    “Also, we have learned the importance of family,” Busch continued. “Kyle’s parents have been married for thirty some years and my parents have been for 26 years, so just learning from them, like what things to not fight about, has been helpful.”

    “I’ve also learned from the other couples here,” Busch said. “We’re talking about having kids in two or three years, so picking the brains of all the girls here that are pregnant or have kids about how they do it has also been helpful.”

    In addition to her passion about her family, Samantha Busch has also become focused on her interactions with women, especially young women who seek her advice on everything for fashion to healthy eating and a better body image.

    Much of this interaction has been possible through social media, including Facebook, Twitter and even her own website. And while Busch most certainly shares updates from the racing world, she also knows that for many of these young women, she has become a role model and even mentor.

    “This year has taken off with a lot of women in racing via Twitter,” Samantha Busch said. “I kind of give them the whole racing aspect with updates and what not, but I also add more of the girlie touch.”

    “It’s really taken off this year and I love it,” Busch continued. “I have girls that I help with for prom and other events.”

    “A lot of women email me for all kinds of tips, from how to eat healthy, to my work out videos to even makeup product reviews,” Busch said. “I try to be honest and I have really enjoyed that this year. It has really taken off.”

    Samantha Busch is careful to practice what she preaches and so is devoted to trying to eat healthy and exercise, a challenge for both her and her husband while spending so much time on the road. And yes, she admits that she does have her own ‘guilty pleasures.’

    “The bus is my work out area,” Samantha Busch said, who regularly exercises even in those close quarters of their motor home. “I love to work out.”

    “And I love to cook,” Busch continued. “I really never enjoyed cooking until I married Kyle because it was just me. It’s easy to know what to eat but it’s making that call to choose the non-fat or the low-fat or the vegetables over this or that.”

    “We splurge, don’t get me wrong,” Busch said. “Our decadent passion is ice cream. Kyle and I could eat ice cream every day if we had the choice.”

    “I tell girls that I don’t follow a super-strict diet because when you do then you’re just tempted,” Busch continued. “So, if you give yourself a little bit of something, then you’re good.”

    Samantha Busch also admits to one other ‘guilty pleasure’, one that is shared by many others involved in Facebook. She just loves to pin.

    “I’m addicted,” Busch said. “It’s bad. It’s like 2 AM and Kyle will wake up and say, ‘Get off of Pinterest’.”

    “And I’m like, ‘Just let me pin one more thing.’ Busch continued. “It’s so addictive. But it’s really cool.”

    “I planned a baby shower off of Pinterest for my best friend,” Busch said. “I love it. Whoever created that, I’ve lost countless hours to Pinterest.”

    While Busch loves fashion and fitness, especially in sharing that with girls and young women, she also is passionate about education. In fact, she just accomplished a major milestone in her own academic life, achieving a Master’s degree from Austin P. State University.

    “I graduated!” Busch said proudly. “I have a Master’s in industrial organizational psychology.”

    “I actually did my thesis on Joe Gibbs Racing and how they reward their crew members and different things they can do in an ailing economy, such as health and wellness, as well as verbal rewards,” Busch continued. “I defended my thesis and they loved it.”

    “It’s good to be done,” Busch said. “People are like, what are you going to do with your degree, but I think it applies a lot to racing and also to Kyle Busch Motorsports. “

    “I hope it will help people around us.”

    Speaking of the team that bears her husband’s name, Samantha Busch is also passionate about that endeavor as well.

    “Kyle Busch Motorsports is awesome,” Samantha Busch said. “We thought it was going to be easy and then the first five races came and it was tough and was really hard.”

    “It was kind of nice to go through the struggle as a whole family,” Busch continued. “Kurt and Kyle are so close this year.”

    “Obviously, they are brothers and have had struggles, but this year them racing together, they are together for hours,’ Busch said. “I think it’s been really great for them and it’s fun to watch.”

    “And even better, we got our first win under our belts, so it’s good.”

    So, what does the future hold for Samantha Busch, especially given her passions, from education to fashion to helping young women with self-esteem and body image issues?

    “I don’t know,” Busch readily admits.”I’m like a moving target.”

    “I always travel with Kyle and his racing is our life,” Busch continued. “But I have to find something that is my own and in my own realm.”

    “I would love to be more in front of the camera,” Samantha Busch said, after a stint with the SPEED channel. “I love working with Speed, especially in the social garage.”

    “It’s really fun and I’d do whatever they asked me to do,” Busch continued. “I’m not shy so that’s a plus.”

    But Busch would also like to work more on the retail and foundation side of the Kyle Busch Motorsports business as well.

    “I don’t know anything about cars honestly,” Busch admitted. “My involvement with the team crew guys is that I like to bring them food and treats. That’s my role on the car side of things.”

    “But I do a lot with the retail,” Busch continued. “I have four or five shirts out right now; one has glitter, one is a V-neck and one is more graffiti-ish.”

    “We submit our designs to the sponsors. I’m going to be designing more for Monster Energy and also for the 18 team,” Busch said. “So, hopefully they will let me do more.”

    “With the Kyle Busch Foundation, we’re kind of taking this year off to revamp and expand it to get partnerships with other, already established foundations,” Busch said. “We support the five homes and always will, but we’re looking at other kinds of partnerships right now and how we can help each other.”

    “Maybe in the future, I’d love to do a foundation event with Zumba where everyone donated to dance together.”

    But most of all, Samantha Busch is passionate about finding that perfect blend and balance between wife, fashionista, fitness guru, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. And all of that with a focus on helping young women achieve their life goals.

    “One of my favorite things is getting to meet the women fans and hearing their stories,” Samantha Busch said. “At our fan day, I had this lady tell me she’s already lost 40 pounds.”

    “I’ve had a girl who said she had image problems and now she’s gotten over them,” Busch continued. “That’s one of the best things.”

    “I just want to show girls how to be healthier and I really take to the women out here,” Busch said. “I love the guys that follow me on Twitter but I relate more with the women and I love helping them.”

    “I’m open to anything that helps someone else.”

     

  • Capital City 400 Review: Virginia is for Drama

    Capital City 400 Review: Virginia is for Drama

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]For the first half of the race, it looked like Carl Edwards would be the man in victory lane at the end of the Capitol City 400. However, after a late race penalty Edwards was put to the rear of the field, giving the lead up for grabs.

    After leading for 206 laps, Edwards was black flagged for jumping the restart on Lap 320. He was forced to make a pass through penalty on pit road, which dropped him back to 15th place. The No. 99 team was very irate about the situation, but NASCAR wasn’t hearing it. Edwards’ team was confused about the situation and wanted to know if they received the penalty for jumping the restart, or for beating Stewart to the line.

    Edwards may have jumped the restart however, the situation looked worse when Stewart spun his tires on the start – this bunched up the rest of the field and caused Edwards’ to jump out about three car lengths over the rest of the field.

    Either way you look at it, this penalty gave Stewart the lead of the race.  Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the Top 5. Stewart and Busch led the field with seven seconds over Earnhardt. It looked as if Stewart would drive to his third victory lane of the season until caution for debris flew once again with 14 laps to go. Edwards received the lucky dog during this caution and was back on the lead lap.

    After problems on pit road for Stewart, Busch won the race off of pit road. Stewart spun his tires once again on the restart, allowing Earnhardt to take over second position and give the fans something to yell about. Earnhardt trailed Busch by half a second but wasn’t able to catch him when the checkered flag waved. Finishing second has moved Earnhardt to second position in point’s standings, just five points from the leader.

    Busch took Richmond by storm, winning the Nationwide race as the car owner of Kyle Busch Motorsports, and winning as a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch has been flying under the radar this season and is lower in points than we normally see him. Winning at Richmond gained him two positions in points, moving him to 11th position.

     

    What’s On the Horizon for Talladega?

    The good thing about Talladega is: it’s anybody’s race! It doesn’t matter where you start, because it only takes one lap for a driver to move from last to first position, or vice versa. Talladega is the biggest and wildest track on the circuit and it never fails to put on a good show.  Jimmie Johnson won the Aaron’s 499 last year, and he could very well do it again. However, I’m looking at Michael Waltrip Racing in Talladega.

    I believe that MWR will be a force to reckon with at the Superspeedway. Owner Michael Waltrip will get behind the wheel of the No. 55 to race at a track that he has won before. Everyone knows that Waltrip is a master at superspeedways and his drivers, Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer, aren’t too shabby either.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”319″][/media-credit]Bowyer has two career wins at Talladega, along with six top 10 finishes. Although Truex hasn’t won at Talladega in the Cup series, he has won the Aaron’s 312 Nationwide race three years in a row. Truex has been oh so close to reaching victory lane this season and I think Talladega will be where he gets his first win of 2012.

  • NASCAR Nationwide Series May Be The One to Watch in 2012

    NASCAR Nationwide Series May Be The One to Watch in 2012

    Sandwiched between the top-tier NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the rough and tumble Camping World Truck Series is the middle child, the Nationwide Series. But for the upcoming 2012 season, this may indeed be the preferred series to watch for the NASCAR fandom.

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”218″][/media-credit]One of the biggest new stories in the Nationwide Series is of course that of Danica Patrick running her first full-time gig in NASCAR since her abdication from the world of open wheel racing. For her first Nationwide run, the marketing diva will be continuing her association with JR Motorsports with Tony Eury, Jr. as her crew chief.

    “I’m going into this season with a little bit more of a ‘I’m going to do it’ attitude,” Patrick said. “I’ve got a lot to learn and I know that.”

    “I’m going to make lots of mistakes I’m sure,” Patrick continued. “But I’m mentally wrapping my head around not just learning but being successful and running well and getting to Victory Lane and thinking about that so my thoughts translate to the real world and really happen.”

    Patrick also fully intends to run for the Nationwide championship and even her crew chief believes that is possible. Eury’s goal is to get his driver into the top ten in points after the first ten races of the season, positioning her to make a run at the title.

    “She’s gone to a lot of these tracks,” Eury Jr. said. “Before she wasn’t running for points.”

    “This year, she’s here for the reason to win the championship,” Eury Jr. continued. “So, she’s not going to be that person that kind of lays over.”

    In addition to seeing the new aggression of Patrick on the Nationwide as she attacks her first ever full-time stint, two other super aggressive drivers, in fact brothers, are planning to share a Nationwide gig in 2012.

    Big brother Kurt Busch will be sharing a 2012 Nationwide seat with little brother and team owner Kyle for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

    Monster Energy, leaving prior driver Ricky Carmichael high and dry, will sponsor the Busch brothers in their No. 54 Monster Energy Camry. Kyle will drive the season opener at Daytona and the following four races and then split the ride with his brother Kurt.

    While not competing with Patrick for the Nationwide championship, since both Busch brothers are also racing in the Cup Series, the duo fully intends to complete for the 2012 Nationwide Owner’s Championship.

    “We’ve had a lot of talks about how this whole deal is going to work out, what we’re both looking to get out of this and what a great opportunity this is to race in the Nationwide Series,” Kyle Busch said. “Kurt’s never done a full Nationwide deal; he’s always had the itch but never really cared about it.”

    While Danica Patrick and the Busch brothers have something to prove in the Nationwide Series, a driver whose Nationwide debut has been delayed also has to prove he can get back behind the wheel of a race car.

    Travis Pastrana, who was scheduled to come to the Nationwide world last year but could not due to a serious injury sustained during the X Games competition, plans to run seven Nationwide races, starting with Richmond.

    “I feel really good,” Pastrana said during the NASCAR Preview 2012. “The therapy the last two weeks has made huge improvements.”

    “We’ll start out with seven Nationwide races and that’s kind of a let’s see how we do, let’s see what we need more work on,” Pastrana continued. “If we’re running OK or if I can get sponsorship to keep running wherever we’re running, we’re going to keep trying to get seat time.”

    “I basically have to prove I can get in a car.”

    As opposed to Pastrana with something to prove, one driver who has already proven that he can drive a race car will be back to defend his Nationwide title. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. will indeed return to the Series, driving full-time again for Roush Fenway Racing.

    “They’re working on sponsorship for it right now, so everything is good,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It sounds like we’re going to be able to go and defend our title again.”

    Stenhouse Jr. won the Nationwide title by just 45 points over Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Elliott Sadler. And for this upcoming year, Stenhouse Jr. is certainly hoping that the championship competition will not be quite as close.

    “I think we will do little things at the beginning of the year different,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “So, hopefully the points chase isn’t so close all year. That drives you nuts.”

    Speaking of Elliott Sadler, or ‘Ricky Bobby’ as he is affectionately known, he will indeed be back to challenge the other Ricky, Stenhouse that is, for the Nationwide Series championship. Since Sadler’s former team is no longer, ‘Ricky Bobby’ will be driving the No. 2 OneMain Financial for Richard Childress Racing.

    “It is such a great opportunity to compete for such an accomplished organization like Richard Childress Racing,” Sadler said. “To have an organization like OneMain Financial support me on and off the track again this year really makes me eager to get back to the track to compete for the Nationwide Series championship.”

    “We came up short last year, but I know we have all the parts in place to win this year with this RCR team.”

    Speaking of Richard Childress Racing, that team will be putting a member of the family, grandson Austin Dillon, on the Nationwide Series track this year. Dillon, last year’s 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, will be driving the very storied No. 3 Chevy as his Nationwide ride, competing for another honor, the Nationwide Rookie of the Year.

    “I’m looking forward to the challenge of moving with Danny Stockman (crew chief) and the guys to the NASCAR Nationwide Series with the No. 3,” Dillon said. “Our goal next year is to win races and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.”

    Finally, there are two veterans worth mentioning as very good reasons to watch the 2012 Nationwide Series.

    First is Morgan Shepherd, who at the sweet age of 70 years, will be driving in his 45th season in the Nationwide Series. Shepherd, competing with plenty of faith, hopes to better his best ever 21st place in the Nationwide point standings in 2011.

    The other veteran who is always worth watching in the Nationwide Series is Kenny Wallace, affectionately known as the ‘Herminator’. Wallace will be back with RAB Racing, behind the wheel of the No. 09 American Ethanol Toyota Camry.

    “Corn farmers are excited to continue our relationship with RAB Racing and Kenny Wallace in 2012,” Garry Niemeyer, National Corn Growers Association President, said. “Kenny is a fan favorite and one of the most visible drivers in the sport.”

    So, from the veterans, like Morgan Shepherd and Kenny Wallace, to the newbies, like Danica Patrick and Travis Pastrana, the Nationwide Series does indeed seem to be the one to watch in 2012.

    Fans can catch all the action of the Nationwide Series, beginning with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 25th, 2012.

  • Ron Hornaday Makes Strong Case For Veterans and Experience

    Ron Hornaday Makes Strong Case For Veterans and Experience

    At the age of 53, Ron Hornaday won his 50th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night.  While a lot of people focus on bringing forth that brand new young talent, an argument could be made that veteran experience is where it’s at.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]The win marked his third of the season and puts him fifth in points, only 42 points behind Austin Dillon with five races left in the season. The focus on the series standings has been the young guns, Dillon, James Buescher and Timothy Peters, though here Hornaday is ready to capitalize as he’s done other years.

    A veteran is also someone that a team can look at to lead them to victories and championships, without having to worry about going through the rookie, young-gun lessons of gaining that experience. However, team owners look beyond that as they want that youth for the future.

    Following last season, Hornaday was a driver that many questioned wondered if he should hang it up after he finished seventh in points with only two wins. A season of bad luck and misfortune happens every once and awhile in a driver’s career as you can look at any driver who has been racing for a number of years and see this string.  Just the year before in 2009, Hornaday won the championship with six wins.

    The comments made were like most in racing, who say that you’re latest results are the only ones who matter. While making those types of comments and articles, Hornaday’s four championships were forgotten along with the wins. On top of that, the strength of Hornaday’s team Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) was misplaced amongst the talk.

    Speaking of KHI, they announced last month that they would be shutting down operations at the end of the season as Kevin Harvick considered it a distraction. Truthfully, you could also argue that the issue of being able to find sponsorship in this economy probably played just as big as a factor.

    Regardless, the announcement leaves Hornaday without a ride for 2012 with only a month and a half left in the 2011 season. Considering the success that Hornaday has had as of late, a ride is something that he should easily be able to find. However, it’s not a guarantee as Johnny Benson wasn’t able to find a ride and now finds himself back running at the short track level.

    One scenario plays that Hornaday could find himself at Kyle Busch Motorsports, running a second truck for the team while Brian Ickler and Kyle Busch split the No. 18. It’s a scenario that has potential as Hornaday and Busch could work together to attract sponsors as Busch has proven that he has a strong team. Hornaday would also be an important asset to the KBM organization as he could possibly bring Busch his first driver’s championship.

    Silly Season always brings out the best and worst scenarios like these and in the end, you will probably see Ron Hornaday find a ride or else there will be a lot of fans confused.

  • Kyle Busch Spanks Truck Field at New Hampshire

    Kyle Busch, driving the No. 18 Toyota/Traxxas Toyota, spanked the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with a dominant win in the 16th annual running of the F. W. Webb 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]This was Busch’s 30th career win in 99 Truck races and he now ranks second on the all-time series wins list. Busch also achieved another record, leading 165 laps, the most ever in a 175 lap Truck race at New Hampshire.

    This was Busch’s 104th national series win. And with that domination, Busch also scored a perfect driving rating of 150.

    “We just had a great truck,” Busch said in the understatement of the race. “We worked hard and I want to say ‘hi’ to my wife who is working at home in Charlotte.”

    “It was fun for us but probably not for others.”

    Busch not only dominated the field but he also started from the pole, his 12th in 99 the Truck Series competition. Rowdy Busch was so dominant that only six trucks finished on the lead lap.

    “These guys on this Kyle Busch Motorsports team did a great job,” Busch said. “We unloaded a little bit off but we just had to get the feel where I liked it.”

    “I felt really good with it,” Busch continued. “To be able to qualify first and set sail on our own agenda really meant a lot.”

    Eric Phillips, Busch’s crew chief, agreed wholeheartedly with his driver.

    “Like Kyle said, we were off a little bit so we tried something different,” Phillips said. “We made steady progress through both practices and then the truck was pretty good the rest of the weekend.”

    Busch acknowledged that he has had other dominating performances, such as leading every lap at Phoenix in the Nationwide race earlier in the year.

    “I never thought of that actually,” Busch said. “I think I led 190 or 192 laps of a Nationwide race here too one time.”

    “So, that’s cool,” Busch said. “Certainly Phoenix and Loudon, when I can hit it right, I can hit it right. I’m really, really good.”

    Young Austin Dillon, in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, ran second for most of the race to Busch. And that is exactly where he finished.

    This was Dillon’s second top-10 finish in three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He also now leads the point standings by just two over James Buescher.

    “We were in there every lap,” Dillon said. “We even got to lead a lap which was good for our points deal.”

    “Championship has been on our mind all year,” Dillon said. “I feel like we’ve had a great truck to beat each and every week.”

    “We’re finally stringing some finishes together.”

    Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No.2 JEGS Chevrolet, came in third. Although his fifth top-10 finish in six races at New Hampshire, Harvick was frustrated with the racing.

    “It was like a parade,” Harvick said. “It was a terrible race with everybody following each other around.”

    “I got stuck behind the 88 there and lost half a track,” Harvick lamented. “It was just really hard to pass.” Track position was king.”

    Ron Hornaday, Jr., driving the No. 33 Cooked Perfect Meatballs Chevrolet, finished fourth and Johnny Sauter, in the No. 13 SafeAuto/Carrier Chevrolet, rounded out the top five.

    Miguel Paludo, behind the wheel of the No. 7 Stemco Duroline Toyota, was the top-finishing Sunoco rookie. Paludo started from the 15th position and ended the race in the 10th spot.

    “It was a good day for us,” Paludo said. “The two tires in the end was a better call for us. I’m proud of our guys and I’m proud to be in the top ten in a race like this.”

    Joey Coulter, driving the No. 22 RCR Graphics Center Chevrolet , was probably the most frustrated driver on the ‘Magic Mile.’ Coulter qualified third, was moving his way up through the pack, and even led a lap in the race.

    Unfortunately, Coulter was penalized twice for being too fast on pit road and finished his race in the 11th position.

    Matt Crafton, James Buescher, Todd Bodine, Timothy Peters and rookie Miguel Paludo rounded out the top ten finishers, sixth through tenth respectively, in the F. W. Webb 175.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    F.W. Webb 175, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/truckseries/race.php?race=19
    ==============================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    ==============================================
    1 1 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    2 4 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 43
    3 2 2 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 0
    4 5 33 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 40
    5 14 13 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 39
    6 10 88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 38
    7 8 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 38
    8 11 5 Todd Bodine Toyota 37
    9 9 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 35
    10 15 7 Miguel Paludo * Toyota 34
    11 3 22 Joey Coulter * Chevrolet 34
    12 12 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota 32
    13 7 6 Justin Lofton Chevrolet 31
    14 16 81 David Starr Toyota 30
    15 18 60 Cole Whitt * Chevrolet 29
    16 17 151 German Quiroga Toyota 28
    17 34 23 Jason White Chevrolet 27
    18 19 29 Parker Kligerman * Dodge 26
    19 22 4 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 25
    20 13 9 Max Papis Toyota 24
    21 23 32 Blake Feese Chevrolet 23
    22 21 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 22
    23 26 261 Wes Burton Ford 21
    24 6 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. * Chevrolet 20
    25 32 57 Norm Benning Chevrolet 19
    26 31 173 Austin Russell Dodge 18
    27 20 170 Jeff Agnew Chevrolet 17
    28 25 66 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 0
    29 24 93 Josh Wise Chevrolet 0
    30 30 7 Butch Miller Chevrolet 14
    31 28 296 Todd Peck Chevrolet 13
    32 27 87 Chris Jones Chevrolet 0
    33 29 174 Mike Harmon Ford 0
    34 33 175 Bobby Santos Chevrolet 0
    35 36 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Ford 0
  • Kyle Busch’s Wife Samantha Brings Her Own Unique Style

    Kyle Busch’s Wife Samantha Brings Her Own Unique Style

    This past weekend, Kyle Busch achieved a milestone, securing 100 wins in all three major series of NASCAR. And beside him every step of the way has been his wife Samantha, who brings her own unique style to their relationship and to the sport.

    [media-credit name=”Kyle Busch Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”150″][/media-credit]The couple tied the knot on New Year’s Eve in a unique, fairy-tale wedding that she designed. Busch definitely brought her own style to that event, from her designer dress to a feather-studded reception.

    “It was an awesome day,” Busch said. “All the team guys and my family, which is gigantic, were all there.”

    “The two best moments were when I was getting ready and I finally got my dress on and my dad came in,” Busch continued. “My dad burst into tears, I started crying and the girls started crying. The makeup lady was yelling at us all to stop crying.”

    “Then when we got to Holy Name and they opened these two big doors and the aisle was forever long and I just saw Kyle at the very end of it and then I’m crying all over again,” Busch said. “Before the wedding he told me that he doesn’t cry about anything but I see him tearing up so me and my dad started crying again.”

    “Everybody was crying but it was great.”

    In addition to the nuptials, Busch also brings her own unique style to her career. After many semesters of hard work, she will finish her degree in industrial organizational psychology, which she has also managed to blend with racing.

    “The school year starts in August,” Busch said. “I have two classes and I’m done after that finally.”

    “What’s nice about it is with KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports), I get to apply it all,” Busch continued. “And Joe Gibbs Racing is letting me do my thesis on them.”

    While Busch’s career in psychology is unique enough, she has also recently taken on a new endeavor. She is uniquely marrying fashion with her world of racing.

    “Our retail store has been very successful this year,” Busch said. “Chase Authentics called and I have three pieces for an exclusive for a Kyle women’s line.”

    “One’s a very cute hoodie, one is a three-quarter length hem length, and the other is a double-layer tank top,” Busch continued. “The tank top is white and black and then I did this silver foil that says ‘Kyle Busch’ and ‘18’.”

    “My hope is that one day they let me do a whole women’s line.”

    “It’s so funny,” Busch said. “I sometimes get more fashion questions than racing questions.”

    “I know that some of the guys that follow me on Twitter don’t love it but I try to keep a good balance during the race,” Busch continued. “But even some of the guys now will ask questions for their wives.”

    “But I love it,” Busch said. “I’ve helped girls get ready for prom via Twitter, or concerts, first days or weddings.”

    “There are a lot of women who are into racing but they are also into fashion so it kind of works,” Busch said. “It’s taken off into its own thing.”

    One of the other most unique aspects about both Samantha and Kyle Busch is their dedication to the Kyle Busch Foundation. In addition to the five children’s homes that the Foundation supports, Busch has high hopes for expansion and outreach to individual children and families.

    “Right now we have five children’s homes and we donate books, clothes and at Christmas we give more of a monetary gift,” Busch said. “We get hundreds of thousands of requests and we want to help.”

    “So, we’re trying to raise enough money so we can pick several families to help,” Busch continued. “The homes are our first priority but even if we can help a couple of families, that’s how we’re trying to become broader.”

    “The fans have been great this year,” Busch said. “There’s this thing called ‘Lexie’s Challenge’ where this young girl buys a gift card every time Kyle wins.”

    “So, the fans have joined in and every time we win, we get all these gift cards and we divide them up for our homes.”

    In addition to the Foundation work, both Samantha and Kyle Busch have a unique appreciation for their fans. And they both try every chance they can to connect with them, including meet and greets at local home tracks throughout the country.

    Kyle Busch, in fact, went from Victory Lane at the inaugural race at Kentucky Speedway to the Slinger Nationals, where again he captured the checkered flag, much to the delight of the many fans who wanted to celebrate with them both.

    “He won Slinger and there were 300 people outside his hauler,” Samantha Busch said. “So, I stood outside the hauler and got everybody into line.”

    “There were so many kids in the back and I didn’t want to see them get left out,” Busch continued. “So Kyle stayed and we got through 300 plus people in an hour. It was really good.”

    “There were so many kids running around saying “I met Kyle Busch.”

    Given the wins, the milestones achieved, as well as the challenges that season has brought, from Kyle’s speeding ticket to the dust up with competitor Kevin Harvick and team owner Richard Childress, it is small wonder that one of the other unique aspects of Samantha Busch is the perspective she brings to those ups and the downs.

    “It’s definitely been a challenging year,” Busch admits. “There have been things that have happened.”

    “But I’m always here for him and he’s here for me and we always say no matter what’s going on, we always have each others’ backs,” Busch said. “And we don’t let it affect him on the race track.”

    “When he puts his helmet on, he’s so focused so that’s been great,” Busch continued. “We’re just going about being us and keeping our family and friends close. It only makes you stronger, right?”

    While many other drivers and their families struggle with being in the spotlight, especially during challenging times, both Samantha and Kyle Busch take the unique approach of being out there in the public eye.

    “For us, our wedding was televised so we’re pretty open,” Busch said. “We have enough going on that we don’t worry about how others handle their business. We focus on ourselves.”

    “It’s so funny because every weekend, we’re at the track but when we’re not, we’re at KBM,” Busch said. “When you have the Truck team and the Foundation and the retail and the late model races, there really isn’t any time to focus on anyone else’s issues.”

    One thing that makes Kyle and Samantha Busch unique, at least at present in the NASCAR garage, is that they have two adorable dogs but no children yet. And as far as Busch is concerned, that is “down the road”, although she does admit it would be especially nice to have a daughter with whom to bake and shop.

    “That’s down the line,” Busch said. “My parents are moving to North Carolina in two years so that will be a good timing. It’s in the plans, but in the distant plans.”

    Samantha Busch is not, however, unique in a very important way. She, like so many other drivers and their wives, are superstitious, not even daring to think about championship possibilities.

    “It makes me so nervous,” Busch said. “It’s a forbidden topic.”

    “When I was home, there were all these dress stores and my mom asked me if I wanted to even look for a dress, but I told her, ‘Don’t say that, we’re not in the Chase. I can’t even look for dresses.’

    “You never know,” Busch continued. “I won’t even look at dresses. I won’t look until it’s all over.”

    So, what makes Samantha Busch most unique?

    “I am an individual,” Busch said. “And there are not many people that bring shoes to racing!”

    “Some people who didn’t know me before ask if this is the way I am,” Busch continued. “But my friends who’ve know me forever say that’s just how I am.”