Kyle Busch made history in his first NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series start of the season, picking up his 52nd career series win in the No. 51 Cessna Tundra. This breaks the tie at 51 with Ron Hornaday Jr. and gives Busch the record for most wins in the series. After qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather, the 33-year-old owner-driver began the race in 7th, but quickly took the lead within six laps. Busch persisted through a mysterious vibration and a late race red flag for weather and won both stages in addition to taking the checkered flag for the Ultimate Tailgating 200.
Stage One Recap:
- Qualifying for the Ultimate Tailgating 200 was canceled due to inclement weather and the field was set by the rule book, meaning that Kyle Busch began the race in the 7th position.
- Busch made his way to the lead within the first six laps, passing multiple trucks at a time.
- As caution fell for the first time on lap 17, Busch reported that his Tundra was tight off the corner, and the balance was good.
- Busch earned the stage win, and reported that his Tundra was really tight at the top of the racing surface. Crew chief Rudy Fugle brought him to pit road following the stage for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
Stage Two Recap:
- Busch began the second stage in the fourth position, but soon reported a vibration. Regardless, he made his way back to the lead. A caution fell on lap 54 for debris, and Fugle was able to bring Busch to pit road, where the crew investigated and found nothing specifically wrong.
- Busch restarted in the 24th position, and regained the top-10 within two laps, the top-five within five laps and retook the lead on lap 78, with two laps to go in the stage.
- Fugle was also able to make an adjustment for a tight handling condition.
- Busch picked up the second stage win, and returned to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires and fuel.
Stage Three Recap:
- The team owner-driver started the final 51-lap stage in the first position, and after losing the lead briefly to a hard-charging Johnny Sauter, never looked back, leading a total of 92 laps of the 130-lap race.
- Busch held off his young teammate Harrison Burton for a late race restart as rain began to fall and earned his 52nd win in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. This was his fifth win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and his first in a KBM Tundra.
KBM PR
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