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 Race winner Kyle Busch confirmed that he is an extraordinary talent,
which is not necessarily news. It was his second victory in three
races and came in just his seventh Sprint Cup race since returning
from severe leg and foot injuries.
The fact he won the first event under NASCAR's new "lower downforce"
package underscored his ability.
"From the word go, everybody was slipping a little bit," said his
crew chief Adam Stevens of the rough surface at Kentucky and the new
lower downforce package. "It makes you work hard. I think that
favors the guys that can truly drive race cars and Kyle Busch is one
of those guys."
The second rather obvious conclusion on Saturday was the success of
NASCAR's new lower downforce package for intermediate tracks - one
that will also be used at the Darlington Raceway in September and
possibly others. A track record number of green flag exchanges of
the lead - 22 - and Busch's come-from-behind overtaking of Joey
Logano 20 laps from the finish were proof enough.
Also, after two snafus on the pit road, Brad Keselowski came through
the pack twice - a circumstance more familiar on restrictor plate
tracks. And Denny Hamlin came back from two laps down to finish
third. It made for some interesting race viewing, since it was clear
drivers could control their own destiny if they had a car that was
good enough to run at the front.
The third conclusion is that Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing,
whose cars occupied the top six positions, are best situated if this
unique rules package is employed on the five 1.5-mile tracks on the
schedule during the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. Since
rain wiped out extra practice sessions for drivers and teams to
acclimate themselves to the new rules, evidently the computer
simulation programs of Gibbs and Penske are working better than
those of Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing and Richard
Childress Racing. Or, perhaps, the Chevy bodies don't adapt as well
to the lower downforce package.
For his part, Busch said that Saturday's win was a bit sweeter than
four years ago when he took home the first Cup trophy at the track
where corners are wide open - enabling drivers to do their thing.
Compared to the win four years ago, he cited the presence of his
wife as well as newborn son as big pluses in addition to the
inaugural win with reduced belly pans, front spitters and rear
spoilers. "You're the first guy to be able to conquer a racetrack
that everybody has gone to, so you figured it out first," said
Busch. "But this one here, this was a little more satisfying tonight
I think, too, just because of everything we have gone through this
year."
Now 87 points shy of the Top 30 in the points standings, where he
needs to be to qualify for the Chase, Busch said he's not counting
those points one by one.
"What matters most is for us to go out there and perform and perform
at our best at the level that we know how to do and that's what I've
said since I came back," he said. "If we do everything right and do
it how we know we can, there's no reason we shouldn't be able to
average a 14th-place finish or whatever it's going to take so I can
be in the Chase."
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Ironically, the need to be more calculated about points over the
course of the next eight races by Busch may better prepare him for
success in the Chase. Known more as a stab-and-steer driver who
finds great success with such tactics in the Camping World Truck
Series and the Xfinity Series, Busch has never finished higher than
fourth in NASCAR's top championship despite 31 career victories in
11 seasons. A more calculated risk and reward approach might serve
him well. On the other hand, should he make it, the new elimination
format for the Chase plays well to Busch's ability to hustle a car.
The success in the first race using the new rules package would
help, too, said Crew Chief Stevens. When asked about the possibility
of using the same rules package for intermediate tracks during the
Chase, he replied, "Based on one data point, I would be really
excited." As he did on Saturday night, Busch would face competition
in the Chase from the other three Gibbs teammates who also excelled
under these new rules -- Hamlin, Carl Edwards, who was fourth and
Matt Kenseth, fifth.
Four Gibbs drivers in the Top 5 was a first for the team, so
naturally team owner Joe Gibbs is excited about the new rules,
praising NASCAR for being bold about trying to generate more
excitement for fans. Those who did not fare as well, notably Chevy
drivers, were less enthusiastic, of course.
"I think tonight panned out for us to have a good race and it worked
out great for us," said Gibbs. "And I think in the future I think
you're going to really see, I think NASCAR's after it. I think they
really want to help the racing."
Gibbs must wait to see what happens in the chase to the Chase by
Busch, whose two wins will qualify him as long as he's in the Top
30.
"I tell Kyle, three more of these (wins), we'll be in good shape,"
said Gibbs, obviously in a jovial mood and more likely praying that
Busch just runs consistently in the Top 10 for the next eight races.
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