Date: March 23, 2019
Event: TruNorth Global 250 (Race 4 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Format: Three Segments; 70 laps/70 laps/110 laps
Start/Finish: 2nd / 1st (running, completed 250 of 250 laps)
Winner: Kyle Busch of Kyle Busch Motorsports (Toyota)
Kyle Busch continued his dominating march with NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series win number 54 and NASCAR national series win number 201 at Martinsville Speedway. The 33-year-old led a total of 174 of 250 laps after starting the race in the second position in the No. 51 Cessna Toyota Tundra. In three NGOTS starts in 2019, Busch has earned three victories.
Stage One Recap:
- In three rounds of group qualifying at the .526-mile oval, Busch posted the second-fastest lap and started the race on the front row.
- Within 8 laps, Busch had made his way into the lead and he maintained that position at the front through the end of the first stage.
- Busch earned the stage win, and crew chief Rudy Fugle brought him to pit road following the stage for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
Stage Two Recap:
- Busch began the second stage in the second position, but soon took the lead.
- He reported that his Toyota Tundra needed to stay in the race track more, and under caution on lap 117, Fugle called him to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment.
- The stop cost him track position and the owner-driver spent the remainder of the second stage in the third position.
Stage Three Recap:
- The driver of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra started the third stage in the third position.
- Busch and Fugle opted to conserve tires and ride in the third position until about 70 laps to go when Busch began to move toward the front. After a short battle with the No. 45, Busch retook the point position, which he maintained through multiple late race cautions and a last lap yellow flag that ended the race.
- In his 148th series start, Busch earned his 54th career victory and third of the season in three starts.
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
What made the difference on your Tundra today?
“These guys worked really really hard this weekend. We unloaded and I didn’t like where we were at. We made wholesale changes to this thing all weekend long. I just tried to keep improving this Cessna Beechcraft Tundra and make it faster. Certainly want to give thanks to TRD and Rowdy Manufacturing – all these guys. We just kept trying to make it turn the center better. That’s where it’s at at Martinsville. You’ve got to be able to turn the center without getting too lose in and too loose off. There during the race, a couple of times when I was underneath some guys I’d get loose. I saw other guys getting loose in the same kind of aspect. We were able to get by them and get through them and have enough tire there at the end to hold them off.”
TruNorth Global 250 Recap:
- Kyle Busch won the race, followed by Ben Rhodes, Brett Moffitt, Ross Chastain and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured seven cautions for 50 laps and eight lead changes among four drivers.
How Busch’s KBM Teammates Fared:
Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Toyota Tundra, finished 15th
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Toyota Tundra, finished 11th
Raphael Lessard, driver of the No. 46 Toyota Tundra, finished 14th
NGOTS Driver Championship Standings:
The No. 51 team leaves the fourth race of the season ranked first in the Truck Series Owner’s Championship Standings, 41 markers ahead of second-place.
Next Race:
Team owner Kyle Busch will be behind the wheel of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra when the Truck Series returns to action Friday, March 29 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Live coverage of the Vankor 350 begins at 9:00 p.m. EST on FS1.
