Busch Blazes to Victory at Inaugural Chicagoland NCWTS Race

Topics:  Kyle Busch, EnjoyIllinois.com 225

Sandra Vorse
Billy Ballew Motorsports
August 30, 2009

Sandra Vorse
(704)264-9548
SandraVorse@aol.com

For Immediate Release

Joliet, IL (August 30, 2009)-Kyle “Rowdy” Busch piloting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota Tundra blazes to victory in the inaugural EnjoyIllinois.com 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Busch in the Billy Ballew Motorsports entry posted back to back wins after the victory at Bristol Motor Speedway and Friday night’s dominating performance at the 1.5-mile speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Busch’s victory in the Camping World Truck Series gives the 24-year old driver a win in each of NASCAR’s Top-Tier National Touring Series at the Joliet, Illinois racetrack.

Busch placed the new Toyota Tundra chassis (#32), in the fourth-place position on the starting grid with a time of 31.469 seconds at a speed of 171.597 miles per hour for the 150-lap race under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway.

In “Rowdy” Busch style, he drove the Miccosukee Resort Tundra deep into turn one, running three-and four-wide hunting for the lead when the first caution flag flew on lap 3. After the restart on lap 5, Busch battled for the lead, taking the point position on lap 11.

Busch reported that the truck was loose, asking for wedge and track bar adjustments on his first pit stop under caution on lap 33. Busch restarted in the sixth-place position on lap 36 and used his momentum to take the lead just two laps later.

Busch maintained the lead, checking out on the field until a 42-lap green flag race run forced the teams to pit under green flag conditions. Busch brought the Miccosukee Resort Camping World Tundra down pit road on lap 80 for fuel and adjustments and regained the lead on lap 91.

Caution fell on the racetrack on lap 97 when the team brought the No. 51 Tundra back down pit lane for four tires on lap 97 where a slow stop caused the team to lose spots on the track. Busch returned to pit road on lap 98 for fuel restarting in the seventh-place position for the restart on lap 101. Busch drove three and four-wide around the racetrack headed for the front. By lap 109 Busch advanced to the third place position. Busch advanced to the second-place position as a series of cautions on the track occurred forcing him to be patient and wait for the opportunity to regain the lead from Todd Bodine (#30).

Busch at the restart on lap 131 was able to find that opportunity to get past Bodine for the point position and was looking to drive away when the final caution flag of the night flew on lap 139. Busch was set for a seven lap shoot-out when he led the field to the green flag restart on lap 143. Bodine tried to find a way around Busch but “Rowdy” was unshakable taking the win in the inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

“It was a really good night for us,” Busch said. “The Miccosukee Tundra was pretty good. We were real proud of the way that we brought a brand new truck here out of the box. We were dragging in practice a little bit. We had to work through a few things to get the truck off the race track. It still was hitting during the race -- just brushing the race track a little bit. We’re going to take it home, work on it a little bit, polish it up and get it ready for the next one. Richie (Wauters, crew chief) and Billy (Ballew, team owner) and all these guys work so hard -- they do a great job with not a lot. Real proud of the effort we had here -- a fun night, overall. The pit strategy worked to our advantage -- I think with 20 laps into the race, or something like that -- I thought it was early to get tires, but we decided to get them. Then we went a long run there. I think we went 80 laps or something green and it really paid to our side -- I didn’t think it would, but it did. We had a strong truck. We just had to make sure we kept the right tires on it and kept the right adjustments in it and got the thing up towards the front there. So, real proud of the way the thing drove out front. It was a little loose in traffic, but fortunately we were able to make it through the traffic okay.

The pass on the restart I just had to make sure that I got a good restart when I got a good run on him (Todd Bodine) down on the bottom-side -- I just had to stay there,” Busch said. “I just had to keep going. Even if he pinched me into turn three, I was going to have to keep my nose in there because that was the only position I had on him -- I had to keep my position. He raced me great. (Todd) Bodine did a great job -- helped Toyota get a win here. He was a fast truck, too --. Hopefully, we can do it again.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads next to the Iowa Speedway for the inaugural running of the Lucas Oil 200 Saturday, September 5, 2009. Brian Ickler will take the seat in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra for Busch at Iowa Speedway.

Sandra Vorse
Media Relations
Billy Ballew Motorsports
704.264.9548
SandraVorse@aol.com