SPARTA, Ky. — The odds-on favorite thoroughbred Kyle Busch put on a classic domination clinic on his way to winning in the Bluegrass State.
“This is a great effort by this team and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing,” Busch said of his feelings on winning at Kentucky. “Everything was really, really good about this race car since we unloaded. NOS Energy Drink Camry had really good speed and Chris Gayle (crew chief) and the guys did an awesome job each and every week, this 18 Camry is always the best, always the one to beat. I think that’s just a true testament to everyone at Toyota and TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and this XFINITY Series program. I want to thank the fans as well with everyone out here and everyone at home watching on TV. It was a new repave and it probably wasn’t one of the best races from the visual, but a couple of odd things were definitely happening at the end when (Erik) Jones got me on the restart then he kind of got back when his motor didn’t re-fire there. That last restart there, I heard three-wide for a second and I don’t know what to do here but I tried to give a little bit of room and then I heard clear and I turned down. It was enough excitement from my vantage point.”
He led 185 of the 201 laps on his way to scoring his 81st career victory in 320 XFINITY Series starts in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. It’s his fifth victory and ninth top-10 finish of the 2016 season. It’s also his second victory and seventh top-10 finish in nine races at Kentucky Speedway.
Austin Dillon posted his fifth top-10 finish in five races at Kentucky and 10th top-10 finish of the season with a runner-up finish in his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Daniel Suárez earned his second top-10 finish in three races at Kentucky as he rounded out the podium in his No. 19 JGR Toyota. Erik Jones led three laps on his way to a fourth-place finish in his No. 20 JGR Toyota. Darrell Wallace Jr. rounded out the top-five in his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.
Elliott Sadler finished sixth in his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Ty Dillon led 10 laps on his way to a seventh-place finish in his No. 3 RCR Chevrolet. Ryan Blaney finished eighth in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Brennan Poole finished ninth in his No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-10 in his No. 22 Penske Ford.
Ray Black Jr., who led one lap, finished 19th. Ross Chastain, who led one lap, finished 22nd. Jeff Green, who led one lap, exited the race with transmission failure prior to halfway and finished 33rd.
Eleven cars finished the race on the lead lap while 32 were running at the finish.
The race lasted two hours, five minutes and 24 seconds at an average speed of 144.258 mph. There were 11 lead changes among six different drivers and five cautions for 22 laps.
Suárez leaves Kentucky with a nine-point lead over Sadler in the points standings.
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