Power Rankings: Kyle gets back to winning, Smoke back to steaming

Kyle Busch can finally stop answering the question, "What's wrong?"

After the Joe Gibbs Racing driver's win Saturday night in the Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway, the answer is, simply, nothing.

It's true Busch hadn't won a Sprint Cup Series race in 22 events, and that his start to 2012 isn't exactly red hot. But given Busch's record at RIR over the years, the odds were fairly good the first mark in the win column would come Saturday night.

After all, he has made a habit of going to Victory Lane there for the past four years.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Analysis

Pete Pistone Black flag costs Carl Edwards possible Richmond win; Kyle Busch races to checkered flag

Related links

Richmond: Results | Box score | Standings Kurt wins Nationwide race in brother's car Kyle Busch hasn't changed driving style Video: J. Gordon, Kurt Busch tangle on track Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs postrace comments Dale Earnhardt Jr., Stewart postrace comments Next race: Talladega, May 6

"I'm not sure," Busch said when asked why he runs so well at the .75-mile track. "I've had that question already a couple times tonight, but it's just something that keeps going well for us."

And as Busch pointed out, had it not been for a little controversy with a tangle involving Dale Earnhardt Jr., the spring winning streak might be at five years.

"It probably could have been spring in Richmond the year before that, too," Busch smiled. "Unfortunately the last two laps I got into a little tangle with a pretty popular racecar driver. Aside from that, this race has always been great to me. I've run well here in the Cup cars here for a long time and I won my first Nationwide Series race here."

There's no reason to believe Busch won't add more victories as the year progresses. Despite his sluggish start, the No. 18 team has remained positive about its direction and maintained a sense of calm even while others -- namely Busch fans -- were in a bit of a panic.

Team owner Joe Gibbs wasn't one of those concerned.

"I felt like Kyle -- I really wasn't worried about whether it was a slow start for us," said Gibbs after Saturday's triumph. "You always get concerned when you don't jump out there and get it, but I felt like we have a lot of confidence in our team.

"I think tonight was a good example of a total team effort. I think [crew chief] Dave [Rogers] did a great job. Obviously our pit crew, that was awesome. Those guys are lightning quick. And then Kyle, I think, too, just stayed real patient, never worried about things, kept his poise, and things just turned out right for us in the end."

Of course it did. After all it was April in Richmond.