Owner-driver Kyle Busch made his fourth start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Friday night. Busch lined up for the scheduled 134-lap event in third after posting a qualifying time of 30.364 seconds in Friday’s qualifying session.
Busch ran within the top-10 for the entirety of the opening stage before a pit road penalty set the No. 51 team back to start Stage Two. The talented wheelman continued to fight his way through the field following the penalty and lined up in fifth for the second overtime restart. Busch was unable to surge forward on the final restart and took the checkered flag in seventh.
Stage One Recap:
- Busch started Friday’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 in third after laying down a lap time of 30.364 seconds in the qualifying session earlier in the day.
- As the field took the green flag, Busch was in a three-way battle for the lead but was unable to gain control as he continued to run within the top-five for the majority of the opening stage.
- ‘Rowdy’ communicated to crew chief Mardy Lindley that his Safelite Tundra continued to tighten up as the opening stage progressed as he took the green-and-white checkered flag in sixth, earning five stage points for the No. 51 team.
Stage Two Recap:
- The No. 51 team was penalized during their stage break pit stop for having a crew member over the wall too soon, sending Busch back to restart in the rear of the field in 29th.
- The 37-year-old veteran made his way back through the field and was scored in 15th midway through the middle stanza.
- Busch continued to battle handling issues throughout the stage as the yellow flag came out on lap 54, ending Stage Two with Busch in 15th.
Final Stage Recap:
- ‘Rowdy’ restarted 12th for the Final Stage but quickly made his way back into the top-10 with 65 laps to go.
- With just 50 laps remaining in the scheduled 134-lap event, Busch came over the radio that his No. 51 Safelite Tundra was “plowing tight”.
- Green flag pit stops began to cycle through as Busch brought his Safelite Tundra down pit road for four tires and fuel with 33 laps to go while being scored in second.
- The Toyota Racing driver was running in 10th when the caution flag came out on lap 132, setting up a NASCAR Overtime.
- Busch made his way up to fifth before the fifth and final caution came out on lap 137, setting up a second overtime attempt.
- ‘Rowdy’ was unable to gain ground on the final restart and was shuffled back to seventh when the checkered flag came out to end the race.
North Carolina Education 200 Race Recap:
- Cup Series regular Ross Chastain picked up his first win of the season and fourth of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career. Grant Enfinger, John Hunter Nemechek, Christian Eckes and Zane Smith rounded out the top-five finishers.
- There were five cautions for 25 laps and 15 lead changes among nine drivers.
How Busch’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished third.
- Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished eighth.
Camping World Trucks Owner’s Championship Standings:
The No. 51 maintained their spot in ninth in the Owner’s Championship standings and find themselves 85 points behind the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 team in first.
Next Race:
Corey Heim will be back behind the wheel of the No. 51 JBL Tundra next weekend as Camping World Truck Series action heads to World Wide Technology Raceway. Live coverage of the Toyota 200 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 1:30 p.m. ET.
