Kyle Busch came up short last week in the season-opener at Daytona, but Saturday he had the dominant truck as he wheeled Billy Ballew’s No. 51 Toyota to win in the San Bernardino County 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Auto Club Speedway.
Busch, who was in position to win and miscalculated a move on winner Todd Bodine last week, this time left nothing to chance as he finished 9.023 seconds ahead of Bodine, who continues to impress despite running unsponsored.
In claiming his 10th win in the series and his second in two starts at the 2-mile California track, Busch led three times for 95 of the 100 laps and led all but two of the 92 green-flag circuits.
After a gas-and-go under green on Lap 91—thanks to new pit rules that prohibit Truck Series teams from taking both fuel and tires on the same stop—Busch quickly overtook Colin Braun, who tried to stretch his fuel mileage but ran out of gas and rolled onto pit road with three laps remaining. Braun finished 20th.
Chad McCumbee came home third, followed by David Starr and T.J. Bell. Ron Hornaday, Matt Crafton, Ricky Carmichael, Timothy Peters and Max Papis completed the top 10 in the series’ second event of the season.
“This thing was just flawless,” Busch said of his No. 51 Toyota, which was serviced through a cooperative effort with James Finch’s Nationwide Series crew. “The guys did flawless. They worked so well and made this truck drive so well.
Bodine stayed with him for a while, but eventually slipped out of contention, finishing more than 9 seconds — more than the distance of the front straightaway — behind.
“It’s a little disappointing to have a Tundra that’s that good and finish second,” Bodine said. “That tells you how good Kyle was.
“As the tires got hot and slick, he just was able to get through the corners a little better, and that was probably the difference,” added Bodine, who had won two straight races, including last year’s finale at Homestead.
“I guess we’ll be going to Atlanta (for the next race),” he said. “Hopefully, somebody’s out there watching, paying attention. A first and a second so far, that’s pretty good.”
Defending series champion Johnny Benson was never in contention and finished 12th.
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