CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Busch stayed calm even when nothing was going right. He even told his crew members they could do something they had never done before: come back from two laps down to win.
“Let’s do it,” Busch said.
Then he did it.
Busch overcame some early troubles to win the Nationwide race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, his second straight victory in NASCAR’s second-tier series.
Busch, the defending series champion, battled for his fifth win of the season. He has won four of the last eight events.
Brad Keselowski finished second, followed by Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick.
Busch went a lap down after an unscheduled pit stop early and dropped another lap when he got penalized for speeding on pit road.
Busch got back on the lead lap, moved to the front with a speedy pit stop late and then held on over the final 58 laps.
Busch and Keselowski stayed out when other drivers pitted with about 15 laps to go. Keselowski had one last chance on the final restart, but Busch held him off during a green-white-checkered finish thanks to some blocking help from teammate Logano.
“It was all about the restart and he just beat us,” said Keselowski.
Keselowski remained the series points leader — one point ahead of Busch — and might be able to pull away as Busch turns his attention solely on his Sprint Cup team.
“I’m really going to miss him,” Keselowski said. “We bring out the best and worst in each other.”
Busch called walking away “a bummer” but said it was something he needed to do to avoid the strain that would come with trying to drive both series at different tracks over the next month.
Rain in forecast for Indy 500
INDIANAPOLIS — There is 30 percent chance of rain for the Indianapolis 500 today as Helio Castroneves goes for a record-tying fourth victory to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears.
But don’t expect teammates Ryan Briscoe and Will Power to hand Castroneves the win.
“I feel ready to win this race,” said Briscoe, who starts fourth. “It might be different if I felt that Helio was going to retire. But I don’t think so. He’ll probably go on and win four, five, six Indy 500s. But I’m only 28 years old . . . and I want to get mine.”
Power, who qualified second, likes his chances.
“We’re looking for a solid race,” said Power, 29. “I feel as though we can win it.”
Denver Post wire services
Today’s races
INDYCAR Indianapolis 500 Site: Indianapolis.
TV: KMGH-7, 10 a.m.
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval, 2.5 miles).
Race distance: 500 miles, 200 laps.
Online:
NASCAR SPRINT CUP Coca-Cola 600
Site: Concord, N.C.
TV: KDVR-31, 3 p.m.
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).
Race distance: 600 miles, 400 laps.
Online:
