Date: March 1, 2019
Event: Strat 200 (Race 3 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
Format: Three Segments; 30 laps/30 laps/74 laps
Start/Finish: 1st / 1st (running, completed 134 of 134 laps)
Winner: Kyle Busch of Kyle Busch Motorsports (Toyota)
In his second NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series start of the season, Las Vegas native, Kyle Busch, earned his 53rd series win. Busch led 110 of the 134 laps, en route to a dominating victory. The owner-driver qualified his No. 51 Cessna Tundra on the pole and then won each stage and the overall victory.
Stage One Recap:
- The 33-year-old posted the fastest lap in qualifying for the Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
- Busch led every lap of the first stage, relinquishing the lead only for pit stops after the stage caution flew.
- 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 eighth position, and worked his way through traffic to regain the race lead with five laps remaining in Stage Two.
- He reported that his Toyota Tundra was tight in the center of the corner and off, and Fugle brought him to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires and fuel, as well as an adjustment.
Stage Three Recap:
- The third stage began with Busch firmly in control in the Cessna Tundra, where he stayed until he visited pit road under green flag conditions for his final scheduled two-tire stop.
- When stops cycled through with 15 laps to go, Busch was once again at the front of the field, where he stayed until the checkers flew, earning his 53rd win in the series and propelling the No. 51 team to the top of the owner’s points standings.
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
How was your truck tonight?
“It was just tight, we fought it in practice a little bit and we worked on it an awful lot to make it better. Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and these guys did an amazing job on this Cessna Tundra, it was really, really fast. Just kept working on it all night long, every pit stop we would come in and we would work on it. Certainly want to thank Toyota and TRD, Rowdy Manufacturing, KBM and everyone at the shop, they do an amazing job and build really fast Tundras. Thank Monster Energy, Incredible Bank, Black Clover, DVX Sunglasses, of course the fans – it’s cool to win here in your hometown being from Las Vegas. Starting off the triple weekend, hopefully we can keep it going.”
Strat 200 Recap:
- KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch collected the 53nd win of his NGOTS career and his 196th in NASCAR’s top three divisions. Brett Moffitt finished 1.211 seconds behind Busch in the runner-up spot. Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and Burton rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured three cautions for a total of 15 laps. There were seven lead changes among five drivers.
How Busch’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished 7th
- Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished 5th
NGOTS Driver Championship Standings:
The No. 51 team leaves the second race of the season ranked first in the Truck Series Owner’s Championship Standings.
Next Race:
Team owner Kyle Busch will be behind the wheel of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra when the Truck Series returns to action Saturday, March 23 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Live coverage of the NGOTS 250 begins at 2:00 p.m. EST on FOX.
