Kyle Busch finishes P10 at Daytona

Date: Aug. 28, 2022

Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway(2.5-mile oval)

Format 160 laps, broken into three stages (35 laps/60 laps/65 laps)

Start/Finish: 22nd/10th (Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

Point Standing: 11th (2,010 points, 30 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS)

Race Winner: Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Notes:

● Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, finished 10th in Sunday’s rain-delayed Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

● The first caution of the day unfolded on lap 32. With some expert guidance from his spotter, Busch was able to navigate his way through the wreckage despite making minor contact with a car that dove up in front of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota. There was no damage and Busch went on to finish fourth in the first stage.

● After a penalty for driving over an air hose Busch had to drop to the tail end of the field to start the second stage. He was able to race his way up to the top-five where he settled into a comfortable pace for the next several laps. He reported that the car was handling well other than being a little on the tight side in the turns.

● The Toyotas all made a trip to pit road for service with less than 15 laps to go in the second stage. They all lined up once back on the track and worked their way to the front of the field. Busch took over the lead on lap 82 then went on to trade the top spot with driver Tyler Reddick a few times before firmly entrenching himself in the lead on lap 91. Busch maintained the top spot to the conclusion of the second stage to secure the stage win.

● The two-time Cup Series champion had to line up at the tail end of the lead lap to start the final stage after NASCAR reported he was too fast exiting pit road after a round of pit stops. Busch patiently raced his way back among the top-15 and was back in the top five with 45 laps to go.  

● Busch lined up fifth with 30 laps to go. The leaders all started sliding as the field came around to complete lap 137 causing a massive accident that collected the majority of the frontrunners. Busch was running up along the wall and wound up with damage to the nose and rear of the car. He was able to keep the car on the track and was scored in sixth place as rain started falling across the 2.5-mile superspeedway, forcing NASCAR to stop the race for weather.

● After a several hour rain delay, drivers were called back to their cars. The No. 18 Interstate Batteries team went to work on the nose of the car trying to repair the damage and make the car competitive.

● The damage was severe and when the racing went back green, Busch eventually lost the pack and all he could do was bring it across the finish line as best he could as he had too much damage to compete for the win.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

“Overall I felt good about our car all day long. The Interstate Batteries Camry was fast. We had good speed, ran up front and won a stage. That damage was just too much and all we could do was just ride to the end. But it’s all about the Playoffs now. We have Darlington next week. We’ve had good speed as the Toyota group goes at mile-and-a-half, two miles 2.5 mile. We’ve been good at those places. I would like to think we have a good shot of going out strong in Darlington next week”

Team Interstate Results:

● Martin Truex Jr. (Finished 8th / Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

● Kyle Busch (Finished 10th/ Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

● Denny Hamlin (Finished 25th / Accident, completed 137 of 160 laps)

● Christopher Bell (Finished 36th / Accident, completed 30 of 160 laps)

Team Interstate Points:

Denny Hamlin (6th with 2,013 points, 27 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS)

Christopher Bell (10th with 2,011 points, 29 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS)

Kyle Busch (11th with 2,010 points, 30 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS)

Martin Truex JR (17th with 798 points – OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS)

Next Up: 

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 4, at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The first race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.