Las Vegas Sun

December 2, 2009

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Observations from Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway

With his victory Sunday at Infineon Raceway, Kyle Busch now has won a race on every type of track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit (superspeedway, intermediate, short track and road course). …

Busch has one-upped his older brother, Kurt, once again. Although Kurt has 17 career Cup victories to Kyle’s nine, Kurt has yet to win on a road course. Kurt, of course, has something his younger brother doesn't have (yet): a series championship. …

Five victories in 16 starts this season. Just imagine what Kyle Busch could accomplish if he gave up running Nationwide and Craftsman Truck races and devoted his complete attention to the Cup Series (as he did this weekend). …

Busch extended his lead to 109 points over second-place Jeff Burton with 10 races remaining in the “regular season.” …

So much for the road-course “ringers” that land rides for the races at Infineon and Watkins Glen. The four most prominent road-racing specialists in Sunday’s race (Boris Said, Ron Fellows, Scott Pruett and Brian Simo) are a combined 0-for-51 in NASCAR Cup races on road courses. …

Fellows, in 29th place, was the highest-finishing road-racing specialist in Sunday’s race. …

Just how hard is it to win on a road course? Some of the best drivers on the Sprint Cup circuit have never visited Victory Lane at a road course. Jeff Burton is winless in 29 attempts, Bobby Labonte is 0-for-31, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth both are 0-for-16 and Jimmie Johnson is 0-for-12.

Discussion: 3 comments so far...

  1. I only hope that Shrub's (and Toyota's) latest victory doesn't bring out the Junior fans with the same old whine, 'Toyota has more horsepower, it isn't fair'. Last year Chevy won 26 of 36 races, no whining then. Dale drove a Chev, but he also drove DEI junk, tough! Now he drives a Chev that is not junk, so get with it fans. Kyle is the driver of this year, and he was dumped last year by Hendrick's to make room for Jr. I have no doubt he has things to prove, and he's doing it. JGR rules!

    Ringers - maybe they are good on road courses, but they ain't much in Cup cars on road courses!!

  2. It would of been nice to see Robby Gordon up front in Sonoma to make the race more entertaining but congrats to Kyle for another win.

  3. Kyle doesn't have a championship yet, but he will get his this year. No doubt. Too bad for him there is a Chase or he would have it wrapped up by the end of August.

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StockcarToons cartoonist Mike Smith pops the hood on NASCAR racing.

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