SONOMA, Calif. — The swagger had vanished, and the cocky confidence went with it. A two-week slump sent Kyle Busch spiraling into crankiness despite his hold atop the points standings.
With a win Sunday at Infineon Raceway, his mood instantly lifted.
Busch snapped his mini-slump by racing to his first Sprint Cup win on a road course with a Toyota that was so bad during practice he was certain he would wreck. Instead, he made his series-high fifth visit to Victory Lane this season.
“I’m not happy unless I am winning, to be honest. I am a miserable person,” he said. “But it means a lot to be able to run well and win.”
Busch, who had a poor qualifying run and started 30th, steadily moved through the field and grabbed the lead away from defending race winner Juan Pablo Montoya on an early restart. Nobody came close to taking the lead from him the rest of the way, but he did have to hold off a pair of challenges on two late restarts.
It was Busch’s 11th overall victory this season spanning all three of NASCAR’s top series. It also was his second road course victory of the year, following a Nationwide Series win in Mexico City in April.
Busch celebrated with his traditional smoky burnout, then climbed from his car for his customary bow to the crowd. For once, the fans were cheering the driver they so famously love to hate.
“I am really impressed with Kyle,” said third-place finisher Jeff Gordon, his former teammate. “I’ve been around him, and I didn’t think he’s a really good road racer. So I think you’ve got to give that guy a lot of credit for his talent. To be able to get their car up front and maintain the position. … I would not have bet on that.”
Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing crew had to wrestle with his Toyota to make it comfortable for Busch. The team made a slew of changes following Friday’s and Saturday’s practice sessions.
“We unloaded here and we were absolutely junk,” Busch said. “When we were here Friday, I just thought it was going to be a dismal weekend and I was wondering what tire barrier we were going to put it in. It was a bad feeling, but these guys worked so hard.
“It’s just phenomenal that we’re able to be here in Victory Lane — never before on a road course, in the Cup series, so this is definitely really, really special.”
David Gilliland finished a career-best second and was followed by Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Casey Mears. Montoya was sixth, followed by Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyota/Save Mart 350
Top five finishers
1. Kyle Busch, Toyota, $309,925; 2. David Gilliland, Ford, $207,658; 3. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 160, $143,725; 4. Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 112, $143,725; 5. Casey Mears, Chevrolet, $123,075.
Average speed of winner: 76.445 mph.
Time of race: 2 hours, 54 minutes, 56 seconds.
Margin of victory: 1.716 seconds.
Caution flags: Six for 14 laps.
Top 12 in points: 1. Kyle Busch, 2,408. 2. Jeff Burton, 2,305. 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2,256. 4. Carl Edwards, 2,150. 5. Jimmie Johnson, 2,082. 6. Jeff Gordon, 2,041. 7. Greg Biffle, 2,019. 8. Denny Hamlin, 2,008. 9. Kasey Kahne, 1,958. 10. Clint Bowyer, 1,924. 11. Tony Stewart, 1,908. 12. Matt Kenseth, 1,892.
