Kyle “Rowdy” Busch led the final 38 laps of the Rowdy 251 ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich. en route to his third straight victory in the fourth annual event that bears his name. Off a lap-233 restart, second-generation driver Chase Elliott dove to the inside of Busch’s No. 51 Advanced Payment Services Camry (APS) but was unable to complete the pass. As the race proceeded under green flag conditions for the final 18 laps, Busch slowly pulled away from the 16-year-old phenom, putting nearly a straightaway distance between the two by the time that the checkered flag dropped.
“I wasn’t sure how it was all going to play down there, but I was giving it all I had at the end,” said Busch, who won for the second time in as many starts this season driving his Kyle Busch Motorsports Super Late Model in ARCA/CRA Super Series events. “To win this race three years in a row — I’m so proud of all my guys at KBM and KBM Chassis. I have to thank Advanced Payment Services and CollegeComplete.com for coming onboard as sponsors for this race and all the fans for coming out tonight and supporting this great event. We were racing against a great bunch of guys tonight. I like to come to Berlin not just to race, but to see the competitors, my friends like Brian Campbell, Johnny VanDoorn, Chase Elliott and Ross Kenseth. I like to see them and I like to see how they are progressing.”
Busch posted the second-fastest lap in the afternoon qualifying session, but after the field was inverted, rolled off the grid from the 15th spot. Knowing that equipment preservation would be important in the 251-lap race, he patiently maneuvered his No. 51 APS Camry toward the front of the field. On lap 32, he had made his into eighth and by lap 74 he had captured the fourth spot.
The Las Vegas native was scored in the third position when a caution occurred on lap 100. He fell back to fourth on the ensuing restart, but one lap later vaulted along the high line passing up-and-comers Elliott and Kenseth, who ran second and third, respectively. Busch settled into the second position on lap 117 and began to chase down VanDoorn, who had opened up a sizeable lead as the race approached the halfway mark.
Busch’s No. 51 APS Camry was able to not only chase down VanDoorn before the break, but was able to work his way around him – taking the lead for the first time on lap 124. Competitors were able to put on four fresh tires during a 10-minute break at lap 125 and then the order of the top-six cars were shuffled – based on six children from the stands who were given a ticket with a number that corresponded to the top six cars and then randomly lined up on the track.
The two-time defending winner restarted from the third spot when the race resumed on lap 126. He made his way into the second spot on a lap-152 restart, where he settled in behind race leader Tim DeVos. On lap 190, Busch began to get antsy and made his first of several attempts to take over the top spot. Before a pass could be completed, a one-car spin in Turn 4 brought out the caution on lap 200.
Several cars, including the No. 51 APS Camry, elected to come down pit road and put on the two fresh tires that were allotted in the second half, per the race rules. Busch was the first off pit road of the cars that elected to take tires and returned to the track scored in the third position.
One circuit after the race restarted on lap 212, Busch completed a three-wide pass of Tim Thomas and Daniel Hemric, who both elected to remain on the track during the subsequent caution. Shortly after taking the point, the fifth caution of the race occurred on lap 213. When the race resumed on lap 214, the Sprint Cup Series regular, known for his strong restarts, made quick work of Hemric and began to pull away from the field.
Rowdy’s progress towards third straight victory was impeded by a one-car accident on lap 228. The field was bunched back up and the race restarted for the final time on lap 233. The veteran driver was able to fend off Elliott’s crossover move on the restart and pulled away for the victory.
Elliott finished second, followed by VanDoorn in third. Pole-sitter Tom Thomas finished fourth and Kenseth rounded out the top-five finishers.
The race featured six cautions, including two red-flag stoppages. Nine of the 30 cars that started the event were unable to finish.
KBM PR
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