{"id":12083,"date":"2017-08-19T23:38:24","date_gmt":"2017-08-20T04:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=12083"},"modified":"2017-08-19T23:53:27","modified_gmt":"2017-08-20T04:53:27","slug":"kyle-busch-completes-three-series-sweep-in-thrilling-race-at-bristol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2017\/08\/19\/kyle-busch-completes-three-series-sweep-in-thrilling-race-at-bristol\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Busch completes three-series sweep in thrilling race at Bristol"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, celebrates after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

By Reid Spencer
\nNASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

BRISTOL, Tenn. \u2013 In a race fraught with tension, and with a pack of drivers with desperate agendas chasing him to the finish line, Kyle Busch<\/strong> held off Erik Jones to complete a sweep of all-three NASCAR<\/a> touring series with Saturday night\u2019s keystone victory in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

In winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series main event at the .533-mile concrete track, Busch capped a long weekend that saw him win Wednesday\u2019s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event and Friday\u2019s NASCAR XFINITY Series race.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having accomplished the same feat at Bristol in 2010, Busch was the only driver in NASCAR history to achieve the three-series sweep in the same week at the same track. Now he\u2019s the only driver to have done it twice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dicing through traffic on the final 79-lap green-flag run, Busch crossed the finish line 1.422 seconds ahead of Jones, a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, who will join the race winner as a teammate at Joe Gibbs racing next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>Man, Erik Jones put up a whale of a fight,” said Busch, who won for the second time this season, the sixth time at Bristol (most among active drivers) and the 40th<\/sup> time in his career. “That\u2019s all I had. I was running with my tongue hanging out. My arms were Jello and my throat hurts, but man that\u2019s awesome.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

“Can\u2019t say enough about everybody on my Joe Gibbs Racing team. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and the guys are phenomenal. Car might not have been perfect, but I\u2019m never perfect. I never feel like we\u2019re perfect, but this Caramel Camry was fast. So proud of these guys, so proud of my team, so proud of Joe Gibbs Racing. So proud of Rowdy Nation, this one\u2019s for you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

One bobble by Busch in the closing laps, however, and Jones could have usurped a playoff spot and made the lives of playoff hopefuls Matt Kenseth, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Clint Bowyer much more stressful.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the final green-flag run commenced on Lap 422 after the eighth caution of the race for Landon Cassill\u2019s hard crash into the Turn 1 wall, Jones took off, with Busch and Kenseth trailing him. Kenseth grabbed the second spot on Lap 428, but Busch soon regained the position and made what proved to be the winning pass of Jones on Lap 445.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, poses witht the trophy after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

On the same lap, Kenseth slipped past Jones into second, but with a deft touch with his front bumper on lap 465, Jones broke Kenseth\u2019s momentum and regained the second spot.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the playoff bubble with two races left, Kenseth had two hopes: to win for himself to clinch a playoff berth, and to keep Jones out of Victory Lane to keep the number of unique winners this season at 13, leaving three playoff spots open on points.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kenseth, who will cede his ride in the No. 20 JGR Toyota to Jones in 2018, slipped to fourth at the finish but solidified his playoff position, moving past Jamie McMurray to eighth in the standings.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Kenseth provided the line of the night in the media center, after he was reminded that Jones had bumped him in the closing run.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Takes my ride\u2014and runs into me,” Kenseth quipped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, leads Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DEWALT\/Flexvolt Toyota, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Jones, on the other hand, left the track thinking about what might have been.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You don’t want to sound like you’re whining or being a sore loser by saying it sucks to run second, but it’s a bummer,” said Jones, who started on the pole and led 260 of 500 laps before posting a career-best finish. “It hurts. You know, you want to win every race you’re in. This was the first shot that I really had to come really close to it in the Cup Series. <\/span><\/p>\n

“Bristol is a really good racetrack for myself. Thought we had a shot at it all night, led a ton of laps. It’s Kyle Busch. He won all three races here this weekend. So I feel like I’m close to him here\u2014just trying to find that last little bit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Notes: With Denny Hamlin finishing third, Toyotas swept the top four finishing positions\u2026 Dale Earnhardt Jr. started 31st<\/sup>, struggled to find speed in his car and finished 23rd<\/sup>, three laps down, in his final ride at Bristol in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet\u2026 Chafing from the current absence of a contract extension despite his victory in the Daytona 500, Kurt Busch got fresh tires on Lap 417 and drove like a man with something to prove. In his 600th<\/sup> Cup race, Busch restarted 12th<\/sup> on Lap 422 and charged into fourth place before coming home fifth at the finish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Media Center Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Kyle Busch – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/BMS_KyleBusch_08192017.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Winning crew chief Adam Stevens and team owner Joe Gibbs – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/BMS_Stevens_Gibbs_08192017.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/BMS_EJones_Kenseth_08192017.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bristol Motor Speedway<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bristol, Tennessee<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, August 19, 2017<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. (1) Erik Jones #, Toyota, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. (7) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. (5) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. (25) Kurt Busch, Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. (13) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. (20) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. (29) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. (2) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  10. (10) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. (21) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. (11) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. (8) Joey Logano, Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  14. (14) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  15. (12) Daniel Suarez #, Toyota, 500.<\/span><\/li>\n
  16. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  17. (19) David Ragan, Ford, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  18. (4) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  19. (9) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  20. (26) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  21. (6) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 499.<\/span><\/li>\n
  22. (23) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 498.<\/span><\/li>\n
  23. (31) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 497.<\/span><\/li>\n
  24. (3) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 497.<\/span><\/li>\n
  25. (24) Danica Patrick, Ford, 496.<\/span><\/li>\n
  26. (34) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 496.<\/span><\/li>\n
  27. (15) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 496.<\/span><\/li>\n
  28. (35) * Corey LaJoie #, Toyota, 495.<\/span><\/li>\n
  29. (17) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 493.<\/span><\/li>\n
  30. (30) * JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 493.<\/span><\/li>\n
  31. (37) * Gray Gaulding #, Chevrolet, 488.<\/span><\/li>\n
  32. (36) * BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 482.<\/span><\/li>\n
  33. (32) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 480.<\/span><\/li>\n
  34. (40) Joey Gase(i), Toyota, 476.<\/span><\/li>\n
  35. (33) Landon Cassill, Ford, Accident, 412.<\/span><\/li>\n
  36. (22) Ty Dillon #, Chevrolet, Accident, 394.<\/span><\/li>\n
  37. (28) Aric Almirola, Ford, Accident, 390.<\/span><\/li>\n
  38. (39) Reed Sorenson, Toyota, Transmission, 352.<\/span><\/li>\n
  39. (16) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 230.<\/span><\/li>\n
  40. (38) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, Accident, 225.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  95.969 mph.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 46 Mins, 37 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.422 Seconds.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Caution Flags:  8 for 53 laps.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Lead Changes:  21 among 6 drivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Lap Leaders:   E. Jones # 1-3; C. Elliott 4-5; E. Jones # 6-50; K. Larson 51-63; E. Jones # 64; K. Larson 65-114; Kyle Busch 115-117; K. Larson 118-124; Kyle Busch 125-129; E. Jones # 130-166; Kyle Busch 167-179; E. Jones # 180-197; Kyle Busch 198-202; E. Jones # 203; Kyle Busch 204-240; E. Jones # 241; M. Kenseth 242-252; R. Newman 253; E. Jones # 254-360; Kyle Busch 361-397; E. Jones # 398-444; Kyle Busch 445-500.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  E. Jones # 9 times for 260 laps; Kyle Busch 7 times for 156 laps; K. Larson 3 times for 70 laps; M. Kenseth 1 time for 11 laps; C. Elliott 1 time for 2 laps; R. Newman 1 time for 1 lap.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 18,77,42,24,20,11,21,22,78,48<\/span><\/p>\n

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,48,4,31,77,42,11,18,27,14<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, takes the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    General view during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, leads the field to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Huggies Little Movers Chevrolet, and Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, lead the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Outdoors Ford, leads Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 McDonalds\/Cessna Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Cars race during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops\/Ducks Unlimited Toyota, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Landon Cassill, driver of the #34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford, has his car pushed to the grib prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DEWALT\/Flexvolt Toyota, has his car pushed to the grid prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. \u2013 In a race fraught with tension, and with a pack of drivers with desperate agendas chasing him to the finish line, Kyle Busch held off Erik Jones to complete a sweep of all-three NASCAR touring series with Saturday night\u2019s keystone victory in the Bass Pro Shops […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[177,59,16],"class_list":["post-12083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-bristol-motor-speedway","tag-kyle-busch","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/MENCS_BMS_VictoryLane_08192017.jpg?fit=4128%2C2976&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-38T","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12083"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12106,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12083\/revisions\/12106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}