NASCAR, Hollywood Casino 500: Takeaways from Kansas
By Ted Fleming
1. Don’t forget the other Busch
One driver who is flying under the radar in the Chase right now is Kurt Busch and for a time at Kansas he might have simply faded into oblivion without anyone noticing. Following a last minute final practice spin into the grass that wrecked his primary car, he was forced to start in the back of the field with his backup. Kyle’s older brother then showed why he belongs in the championship hunt.
Busch slowly worked his way through the field and by the time the checkered flag came out, the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 had a solid 13th leaving him fifth in points. His win at Pocono guaranteed him a spot in the Round of 16 and over the course of the Chase he has not had a finish worse than a 15th. He also has a pair of top-10s during that time.
“We got up as high as seventh and I could see the front, I could smell the front, I could taste it, we just couldn’t hang,” he said. “The last adjustment we made sure to free the car up and the car was tight on the last run. I don’t know what we have to do with these tires.”
Since the Chase began the talk is about those at the top and at the bottom, however, those in the middle of the pack, like Busch, look like an animal stalking its prey. One win could change his entire season, especially if he slips into the Elite Eight. As with all drivers still in the hunt for the championship, getting through Talladega unscathed is the most important thing.
“That is a (Tony) Gibson (crew chief) special right there,” Busch said about this upcoming elimination race. “We will have a fast car. I’m not worried about next week.”