Kyle Busch wins Sonoma: 4 things learned

Kyle Busch survived a demolition derby and dominated road racing as he won the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Kyle Busch won at Sonoam on Sunday and in impressive fashion. Fighting off the tough Jimmie Johnson, Busch held on for the wins and outlasted the rest to pick up his fifth win of the season as he won the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

All day, Johnson was flawless on the track and kept pulling away from everyone, and used well-timed pit stop strategies from his crew chief, Chad Knaus, to help him stay in front. However, it was not enough as he was passed by on the final laps.

For others, it was a reminder of just how difficult road races are. Pole sitter AJ Allmendinger looked strong all day, but he ended up losing a fuel cell that caused low fuel pressure, and as a result his chances of picking up a road victory to enter “The Chase” were over.

The Busch brothers were strong all day, and each held the lead at points in the race and both looked like a threat to win. For Kurt, he’s challenging Johnson as the hottest driver on the track at the moment, and for Kyle, he’s trying to get as high of a finish as possible so that he can enter “The Chase.” He’s now got the win, he just has to average a top-16 finish the rest of the way.

For Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart, all season has been a struggle for each of the veteran drivers. On Sunday, Bowyer pushed Johnson late in the race and Tony Stewart hung near the top all day. It may not have been a win, but it was a big positive for both drivers.

With Kyle Busch finally winning, here’s a look at four things learned at Sonoma.

1. Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. have taken a backseat to Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch

In what has seemed to happen every week this season, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. seem to be right at the top when every single race ends. However, that changed Sunday, as a wreck threw a wrench in Truex Jr.’s day. And Harvick, while good, wasn’t as dominant as he usually is on the track.

On the flip side, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch, who have a combined six wins between them, dominated the road racing at Sonoma all day. While the two drivers have more wins than Truex Jr. and Busch is tied for wins with Harvick, they haven’t had as good of luck as staying consistently up front.

Now, Harvick and Truex Jr. have shown themselves to be human, and Johnson and Busch are becoming the new two-man power trip at the top of the standings.

2. David Ragan didn’t have a good day at the track

Sometimes, things just don’t go your way on the track. For David Ragan it was a day of wrecks that he will be remembered for. The first one involved him and Martin Truex Jr., who was a heavy favorite entering this race.

As the two were fighting for position on the track, Ragan turned Truex Jr. and sent him flying into the safety barrier.

Ragan would place the blame on Truex Jr. after for slamming into the side of him first. It doesn’t appear that the animosity between the two will be over anytime soon.

Then, later in the race as Ragan was battling for sixth, he ran out of room on the track as Edwards came flying in over a bump, and the two drivers went sliding directly into a wall.

That drive, unlike the first, appeared to be more of an accident, and fortunately for everyone, both drivers were safe as they hit the barrier head on before the tires that are usually there to pad their wreck.

3. Watch out for flying tires

Toward the end of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, Casey Mears lost a tire, which is nothing unusual. However, he lost his tire and rear axle, and as a result, the tire went flying down the track in hilarious fashion.

Tires had been the story of the day at Sonoma, as David Gilliland had his car buried under a mound of tires, and Casey Mears shot one down the track.

4. Kyle Busch has overcome the odds

After it appeared a wreck in the Xfinity Series at Daytona would end his season as a result of injury, Kyle Busch came back at Charlotte, and has been desperately trying to pick up a win so he can enter “The Chase.”

At Sonoma, Busch finally achieved what he needed as he picked up a win. With his chase waiver, however, he will need to average a top-16 finish overall to get in as well. Busch’s chances were looking slim after a few wrecks sent him back in the order at a couple of races.

However, a first place finish is huge in changing those odds and if he can keep running toward the top, he will get in. It will also be one of the better stories of the season.

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