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 Racing against each other in the Sprint Cup since 2005, it's
difficult to believe the Sonoma's finish gave the brothers their
first one-two. Given the way the season started for the Buschs, it's
difficult to believe they were posting any kind of a finish on one
of NASCAR's most demanding circuits.
Four months after each watched the season-opening Daytona 500 from
the sidelines, Kyle and Kurt Busch will return triumphant to the
Daytona International Raceway next weekend.
Missing the first 11 races of the season with injuries suffered at
Daytona in the Xfinity race, Kyle Busch's victory came in his fifth
start since returning in the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Kurt Busch,
who missed three races due to suspension, came within a half a
second at Sonoma of winning back-to-back races for the first time in
his career and a third victory this season in the Stewart Haas
Racing Chevy.
It was a remarkable seventh time the Busch brothers have posted
back-to-back victories, indicating they are both highly competitive
as well as inspired by one another. But due to the difference in
their age, they didn't become close as professional racers until
long after first racing in Legends cars in Las Vegas.
"I used to kick his (butt) in Legend cars all the time, but that's
when he was 12 and I was 19, so a little bit of a difference there,"
said Kurt Busch. The brothers, he added, got closer as racers just
three seasons ago when he began driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports
in Xfinity Series races.
Normally a driver who divides the grandstands into friend and foe,
Kyle Busch received a warm ovation from the pit straight crowd after
his 30th career victory. His ability to modulate the throttle and
brake heavily all day after his right leg and left foot were
surgically repaired with various medal parts brought on a wave of
admiration.
"There's some sentimental fans out there for sure, the ones that are
cheering that normally wouldn't cheer for me," said the elated
winner, who managed to stay in peak physical condition while
learning how to stand and walk on his repaired limbs.
It was certainly emotional for Kurt Busch, watching his kid brother
walk into victory lane after Kyle blew his tires during the victory
celebration.
"I know he's been through quite a bit," said Kurt Busch. "To have
your leg broken, your foot shattered, to never be injured and out of
the car. I don't know what that feels like, but I do know that
working with Tony Stewart and having him go through rehab, rehab is
very difficult, and it is a mental challenge. And I'm very proud of
Kyle for what he's done to get back in the car as soon as he did get
back in the car, and then to be competitive at a track with hard,
hard braking and to use his left foot to drive to victory lane."
Kurt Busch has had a miraculous recovery, too.
In February, a family court granted his ex-girlfriend a no contact
order for an alleged assault, resulting in a suspension by NASCAR.
But once the Delaware attorney general's office declined to bring
charges, Busch's suspension was lifted. He is undergoing an
unspecified program approved by the sanctioning body that was
required for his reinstatement.
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"Here we are, we're halfway through the year," said Busch. "We
almost could have had as many race wins as we had races we were
under suspension, and so there's so many things that have gone into
place for us to be successful.
And the number one thing is Tony Gibson, the crew chief at Stewart
Haas Racing. He builds great race cars, and it's a pleasure to drive
for him, and I love the team camaraderie. I haven't had this type of
team chemistry since my championship year. It feels good to have
that."
While the Stewart Haas team can prepare for the "postseason" in
hopes of bringing Kurt Busch his first title since the first Chase
in 2004, Kyle Busch must still move into the Top 30 in the points
before his victory at Sonoma can turn the key on his postseason.
Due to an unforced error, he finished 43rd in the last round at
Michigan on a day his older brother won a rain-shortened event. He
now must concentrate on racking up points with consistent finishes.
"I don't have to bust my butt and overdrive the car every week in
order to get wins," he said. "Now I can just concentrate on running
top-three, top-five, top-eight - just getting those finishes and
points. If we can do that, the points have got to come and fall on
the line. Of course, more wins would certainly help us, and that
would only help our cause and allow us to get to the Top 30 quicker,
but we have to take it in moderation here and be smart about it."
Although his younger brother desperately needed a victory, Kurt
Busch wasn't about to give it to him. The older brother helped Kyle
Busch gain a larger lead by disputing second with Clint Bowyer in
the closing laps, but there was no plan to just escort the younger
brother to victory lane after getting past Bowyer. He would have
moved his brother out of the way had the situation called for it.
"I would have had to have given him a couple shots to try to mess up
his rhythm," said the older brother. "I wasn't going to flat-out
move him, but when somebody is holding you up three to four times a
lap, then you've got the opportunity to try to make a pass, and I
just never got there."
Even as the Chase points countdown watch begins in earnest for Kyle
Busch, Daytona looms on the schedule once again and there is no
doubt both brothers have arrived in 2015.
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