RICHMOND, Va. – Kyle Busch isn't used to being out of the spotlight for very long. But after, by his standards, a lackluster last month of the season, he came back front and center in a big way.
Busch hadn't finished better than 17th in his last four Sprint Cup starts and the frustration level for someone who is accustomed to winning on a regular basis was mounting.
That all changed this weekend in Richmond when the brash Busch celebrated his 24th birthday with a pair of wins including his third Cup Series victory of the season in Saturday night's Richmond 400.
"The momentum we had here this weekend was pretty good," said Busch, who at 24 became the youngest driver to hit the 15-career-wins mark. "The past four weeks have been struggles for us. We haven't finished, I don't think, in the top 17. It's been kind of a rough spell for us a little bit.
"We were looking to come back here to Richmond and get back on track, just to run a solid race and actually finish in the top 10 and hopefully the top five and have a chance to win the thing. Fortunately we were able to do that."
With his Nationwide Series win thrown into the tally, Busch has 50 wins across NASCAR's top three divisions including the Cup and Truck series.
When he was reeling off victories at a record pace last season, Busch said that 200 in his career was his goal.
But even he knows despite flying high now that might be a lofty expectation.
• Ky. Busch wins at Richmond | Results | Pistone: Rear view mirror
"It could if I can keep this pace up," he smiled. "But I know the older I get I'll start slowing down some way. You know, hopefully I can achieve that goal. It would be sure nice to get that. I know it's not 200 Cup victories like Richard Petty has. It will still be a phenomenal mark for me."
"I don't know how long I'll be in the Truck Series or Nationwide Series, but hopefully for as long as [owner] Joe [Gibbs] will let me in the Truck Series, and as long as there's a Nationwide car at Joe Gibbs that we can run, I'll be there running races and fulfilling some duties and deals there."
|
|
| Kyle Busch as a fan favorite? 'I don't see that happening,' he says. (Getty Images) |
"I got to tell you, what I hear is more and more cheers," Gibbs said of the slowly but surely positive response Busch has been receiving of late when he takes the checkered flag. "I think generally fans appreciate great effort. I think they appreciate somebody that's really, really good at something. I think that's what's coming across with Kyle. I think he's special as a driver. I see more and more T-shirts."
Gibbs also sees a change in Busch and a maturity that has started to take hold of the fiery young driver.
"I think for me, Kyle is pretty much his own man," Gibbs said. "I think he's bright and I think he's very smart. I think he's probably the best one to talk about himself."
"But I think, you know, you kind of see him, I think he's a leader. He's a leader in our group. Denny [Hamlin] and he, I really appreciate the way they've helped Joey [Logano]. I think that says a lot about guys in a very competitive sport, taking a young guy like that, really trying to help him."
While Busch nodded in agreement as his boss commented on his growing leadership role within the young team, he isn't so sure about everything Gibbs believes, most notably his winning over fans and moving away from the villain role he's established -- and played so well.
"I don't foresee that happening," he smiled in response to becoming more of a fan favorite.
"You know, as long as they're making noise, that's what matters most. They're coming out here and spending their hard earned money to watch us all race, us 43 hooligans. That's up to them. It's cool they come out here and support and are so passionate about this sport the way they are. Whether they wear Combos colors, M&M's colors or Interstate colors, that's what it's all about. That's why it's so colorful, why the action is so great, why the sponsors are here. You know, whether it's one finger salutes or thumbs up or whatever, you know, it's all good."
And with that the birthday boy went out to celebrate -- again.
