BUSCH: Hits Wall Twice at Loudon
NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver Kyle Busch, moonlighting in the No. 51 Flanders Beef Patties Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado, took to the track at the New Hampshire International Speedway Saturday afternoon in search of the team's first victory in the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Damage after contacting the wall twice during the New Hampshire 200 crushed the dreams of that win leaving Loudon, NH with a disappointing 33rd place finish.
Qualifying for the 200 lap NCTS race was rained out due to inclement weather Saturday morning on the 1.06-mile New Hampshire International Speedway. Due to the starting field being lined up by the NASCAR Rule Book, the part-time Billy Ballew Motorsports entry had to start in the 31st place on the grid. The talented young driver took on the challenge moving through the field advancing to the tenth position by lap 52.
Kyle Busch ran a total of 101 laps in the top-10 and pitted twice, once under caution and then again under green flag conditions for tires, fuel and minor track bar adjustments. On lap 88, while racing for the sixth place position with Erik Darnell, Kyle Busch got into the wall causing frontend splitter damage. But Kyle Busch persevered continuing to keep the Flanders Beef Patties Chevy Silverado in the front pack running times as fast as the leader.
Despite the aerodynamic issues that the splitter damage caused, Kyle Busch looked to complete the 200 lap race with a top-five finish. Unfortunately, misfortune would strike again when Kyle Busch on the inside of the race track going for a position, broke loose in the corner sending him in a spin finishing the teams day on lap 141.
"It was a tough break for us in the No. 51 Flanders Chevrolet," Kyle Busch said. "We had some fun out there for a while. I got run in the fence earlier in the race and broke the splitter off, and we still ran up there in the top-five, so I guess it just wasn't really meant to be today. But, we will come back and get them another week I guess."
Kyle Busch will be at the Dover International Speedway when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Smith's Las Vegas 350, but will be back in the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado for the Mountain Dew 200 at the Talladega Superspeedway October 6, 2007.
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