Photo by Getty Images for NASCAR
By Wes Holtsclaw (wholtsclaw@starhq.com)
He has been called the ‘driver of the future.’
‘Driver of today’ would be more accurate for Kyle Busch.
The 23-year-old has made waves since becoming the youngest driver to win a Sprint Cup race.
Last year at Bristol, he became the first winner in the Car of Tomorrow. Later in the year, he finished a career-best fifth in Cup standings.
Given his background and success on the track throughout his youth, many expected Busch to achieve success. But many probably didn’t expect him to do what he’s done thus far this year as early as he has.
Busch has been on a tear in each of NASCAR’s top three series. He currently leads the Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck standings, while holding onto third place in the Nationwide series.
Last Sunday, Busch capped a successful weekend in Atlanta by winning Toyota’s first Sprint Cup race in his No. 18 M&M’s Camry.
He arrives at Bristol with momentum on his side.
“I’m only as good as I perform. And the way that I’m performing is great,” Busch said Sunday in Atlanta. “Whether that’s me, the equipment, I think it’s a mastery of both.
“For me to go out there and to just run the best that I possibly can is all that we can do week in and week out.”
Not bad for a guy who was booted from his old ride at Hendrick Motorsports for racing’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
While the move may have been best for Hendrick, it’s become a Godsend for Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Being asked to leave Hendrick left a sour taste in Busch’s mouth. Getting a win at Gibbs before Earnhardt does with his former team was extra special.
“(I wanted it) pretty badly really,” Busch said. “I mean, (Earnhardt’s) run strong so far this year, too. But, you know, for me, it’s just to go out there and to work with Steve and to work with these guys here at Joe Gibbs Racing and try to make our cars better.
“And I knew that I wasn’t going to a team that didn’t have enough equipment or didn’t have good enough equipment to participate or to contend with Hendrick because I’ve seen it.
“I knew the waves of it were going to be there. It’s just all about trying to make yourself better on a weekly basis or on a daily basis. And, you know, to do as well as I’ve done so far for where I’m at, I’m pretty happy, you could say.”
As pleased as Busch is with his early results, no one is probably happier than the No. 18 team led by crew chief Steve Addington, who tasted victory lane for the first time last Sunday.
“Working with him’s great,” Addington said. “He just pushes you to make the car better. I think that helps. That just helps us in the overall program to make our cars better for him.
“You know, a lot of people don’t know him, to get to know him one on one, the personality, have a good time, cut up and joke and stuff like, that it’s been awesome. He’s fit right in here. The guys love him to death. I believe they’d walk through fire for him right now. You know, and it’s real cool.”
Veterans throughout the sport have taken notice to Busch’s ability on the track at a young age.
“He’s a good talent,” said Earnhardt. “I never really worked with him as closely as Tony and my teammates that I have now. But they all say he’s an amazing talent. And he’s just got great, you know, seat of the pants feel for a car, and he can drive ‘em pretty sideways. We get sideways, too, but we just ain’t never leading when we’re doing it”
Busch teammate Tony Stewart echoed Earnhardt.
“He’s amazing to me,” Stewart said. “You know, I’m proud to have him as a teammate. I think he’s been a huge asset to Joe Gibbs Racing, obviously. It’s fun to watch him.”
The praise from his peers means a lot to Busch.
“I had Mark (Martin) come up to my car after qualifying. He came over to me and told me it was once him who people told how much of a talent he was,” Busch said last Friday. “And, now it’s him telling me that. The way that he put it, and the words he put it in were pretty special, it felt cool.”
Busch’s current perch atop the Sprint Cup standings may be secure for another week as he returns to Bristol to defend his Food City 500 title.
The Gibbs driver said that the key to the race will be getting in front of the field and staying there.
“We just need to make sure that we can go to Bristol and we try to qualify well and keep our car up front, get a good pit selection and be able to keep our car up front like we did this past weekend,” Busch said. “I think that’s the key with this car is track position. It’s more vital than ever before because you can’t pass as well as you used to be able to; so you have to be able to keep your car up front all day.”
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