Tire Rub Ends Busch’s Chance for Third Win of 2015

Kyle Busch had the dominant truck during the middle stages of Saturday’s UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but contact with a lap truck caused damage to the right side of his Dollar General Tundra and a tire rub slowly developed as the race progressed into the closing stages. Busch surrendered the third position to come down pit road for right-side tires and cosmetic repairs under caution with 12 laps remaining and took the ensuing restart 14th. There was just nine laps remaining when the race went back green, and the No. 51 team was only able to muster an 11th-place finish.
 
“We had a really fast truck in the middle part of the race — it was disappointing that weren’t able to bring home another win for everyone at Dollar General and end my final Truck Series start of the year on a high note,” Busch said.
 
After running second in the early part of the race, Busch took the lead for the first time on lap 45 and remained out front until surrendering the lead to KBM teammate Erik Jones on lap 86. Rowdy regained the lead on lap 91 and paced the field until making a green-flag stop on lap 116. After getting four fresh tires and a full tank of fuel, the Dollar General Tundra returned to the track scored in the seventh position as a handful of trucks were on a different pit strategy and had yet to pit.
 
Just before John Wes Townley brought out the fourth caution of the race on lap 137, Busch made contact with a lap truck and sustained right-side damage. When pit road opened, crew chief Jerry Baxter summoned his driver to pit road where the over-the-wall crew administered a four-tire and fuel stop and made an effort to pull out the damaged fenders of the Dollar General Tundra.
 
KBM’s owner-driver took the lap-141 restart from the seventh position, the first truck with four fresh tires. Two laps later, after a four-wide pass, Rowdy had maneuvered his way up to the third spot. The field was slowed again for a one-truck spin on lap 146 and the No. 51 team appeared to be in a favorable position, sitting third with fresher tires than the leader, Austin Dillon, and Matt Crafton in the second spot.
 
Busch worked his way past Crafton on the lap-153 restart and was able to pull to the door of Dillon, but was unable to complete the pass. He settled into the second position, but as the run continued, his Tundra developed the tire rub. The Las Vegas native communicated that his right-rear tire was almost gone just before the caution flew for the final time on lap 161.
 
Dillon collected his first Truck Series win this season and the seventh of his career. Matt Crafton finished 1.054 seconds behind Dillon in the runner-up position. Johnny Sauter finished third, while Timothy Peters and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top-five finishers. Erik Jones in KBM’s No. 4 Tundra came home in the seventh position and maintained his lead in the championship standings. Gray Gaulding in KBM’s No. 54 Tundra came home 10th.
 
The 17th race of the 2015 season featured six cautions for a total of 32 laps. There were six lead changes among five drivers, including Busch who led twice for 67 laps.
 
With 17 of 23 races completed, the No. 51 team sits fifth in the Truck Series Owner’s championship standings, 49 points behind KBM’s No. 4 team.
 
New Hampshire was Busch’s final race in the Truck Series this season. Matt Tifft will be behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra when the Truck Series resumes action Oct. 3 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. Live coverage of the Rhino Linings 350 begins with the NCWTS Setup Show at 9:30 p.m. ET

KBM PR