GLADEVILLE, Tenn. — Kyle Busch raced to his first NASCAR victory as a team owner, dominating the Nashville 200 on Friday night at Nashville Superspeedway for his 17th career Camping World Trucks Series win.
“It’s a big deal,” Busch said. “It’s always nice to win anytime you’re in anybody’s stuff, but especially your own. It seems to set a lot better within yourself.”
The Sprint Cup star led 131 of 150 lap on the 1.333-mile concrete oval. Kevin Harvick, the winner of his previous four Trucks starts, was second, followed by Ron Hornaday Jr., Timothy Peters and Todd Bodine.
Busch won the pole at nearly 1.5 mph faster than second-place starter Peters and used that speed to lead the first 76 laps. On lap 77, Peters passed Busch at the finish line and led the next 15 laps before Busch used traffic to get by Peters on lap 93.
The last time Busch ran at Nashville Superspeedway he made headlines for smashing the trophy, a hand-painted custom Gibson guitar, last June in a Nationwide Series race. This time, he didn’t destroy the guitar.
“I gave the guitar to Sam (Bass, the painter) and said if he wants to do any damage to my truck he could have at it,” Busch said. “But he didn’t feel like it. It’s as good as it can be to come back to Nashville and win a race and put on great show in front of the fans.”
On lap 120, Harvick pulled alongside Busch on the front stretch, but couldn’t complete the pass. It was as close Harhvick would get for the rest of the race.
“I just slid the truck several times there,” Harvick said. “I got a big slide there at the end and I couldn’t make up for it.”
Busch was happy with the victory, but said it doesn’t make him want to drive the truck more than he’s already committed to.
“I might get behind the wheel a little less, to be honest with you,” he said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
