Kyle "Rowdy" Busch piloting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Billy Ballew
Motorsports Toyota Tundra overcame a series of mishaps and miscues Friday, May
15, 2009 at Lowe's Motor Speedway to finish second in the NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series race.
Qualifying for the NC Education Lottery 200 was canceled when rain fell after
over half the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers had taken their
qualifying lap setting the field by the 2009 NASCAR Truck Series Owner points
placing Busch at the point position for the start of the 134-lap on the 1.5-mile
speedway.
Busch reported in that the truck was tight dropping from the lead at the
beginning of the event into the third place position but as the air pressure in
the tires built up Busch noted the truck was getting freer as the race
progressed.
Busch continued to battle for the top spot until the first caution flag fell on
lap 25. Busch came down pit road for four tires on his first stop on lap 26 and
returned on lap 27 for fuel. Busch returned to the track but was penalized after
having too many pit crew members over the wall on the stop placing him at the
tail end of the longest line for the restart. Busch returned to top-off for fuel
right before the restart.
Busch moved through the field to regain positions when a violent crash occurred
on lap 34 sending him through the grass to avoid the incident. The accident
warranted a red flag to stop the race for cleanup. Busch fearing fender damage
got out of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra to survey the condition of the
Tundra, since he did not touch the truck and was just observing he was not
assessed a penalty by NASCAR.
Busch returned to pits for four tires on lap 35 and to clean the front splitter
and pull out the right front fender from the incident, which was minimal damage.
He returned to pit road the following lap for fuel.
Busch restarted in the 16th-place position on lap 40 diving three-wide on the
apron picking up four spots in one lap. Busch continued his climb gaining nine
spots in five laps. By lap 51 Busch had moved into the fourth place position.
Busch had refueled after receiving his penalty, so the team was able to run an
additional 10 laps further than the other competitors who were making green flag
stops during a long race run.
Busch was battling on the outside of the track for the top spot when he let off
the gas, causing his truck to veer to the left clipping the then leader, which
turned another competitor on lap 87. Busch had the lead but was penalized by
NASCARfor aggressive driving moving him to the end of the lead lap trucks in the
11th-place position.
Busch again had to battle through the lapped traffic moving to point position
but was out motored by the No. 33 truck and settled for a second place finish in
the NC Education Lottery 200 NCWTS race.
"Frustrating night overall and that's how you can really put it. I don't know
what that first pit stop was all about. I don't know why we had too many guys
over (the wall) - just miscommunication or what. For some reason, I rolled out
of the gas down the backstretch to let those two decide who was going to get
into turn three first and I veered to the left and got into the quarter panel
and wrecked the 6 (Colin Braun) and 16 (Brian Scott). It was my fault so we will
have to let that one roll off our shoulders and try to go on and move into the
next one."
"I was babying it a little bit because I knew he (Ron Hornaday) was kind of
further back there and just trying to bide my time and not trying to wreck
anybody else or myself," Busch said. "Unfortunately he just blew right up
through there. I have to watch the tape to see how fast he came, but he came so
fast that I didn't even know he was behind me. I wasted a little bit of time
with (Matt) Crafton there, but not a whole lot that would have held up our
performance any. (Ron) Hornaday just took it - he was gone."