Race report

NASCAR O'Reilly

Kyle Busch finishes 32nd in NNS Daytona 300

A late race engine failure leaves Busch 32nd in Nationwide Series owner points.

Edited: Feb 26, 2013, 1:21 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Kyle Busch

The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) entered the 2013 season today at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 54 Monster Energy team, with driver Kyle Busch, started strong with a seventh-place qualifying position, and continued with 22 laps led during the race event. The No. 54 machine was marred with a late-race engine issue that placed the team in a 32nd finishing position.

Kyle Busch

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

From a top-10 starting position, Busch quickly made work of the field, driving to third during lap one, then to first place by lap six. The NASCAR veteran would lead four times during the 120-lap event. Busch immediately commented to his team over the radio, “I’m seeing pack style instead of tandem.” Further race activity would prove that finding ‘dance’ partners was key and Busch saw himself hooking up with JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth primarily, but sometimes with other team drivers such as Justin Allgaier or even brother Kurt Busch.

Early in the race the team discovered a tight-handling car when Busch drove out of the corners. He felt the condition worsened however throughout the race. Crew chief Adam Stevens tackled the condition with tire air pressure adjustments and track-bar changes over the course of five pit road visits. Another hurdle presented itself when engine temperatures appeared high. At the time, Busch declared he could stabilize the overheating issue, but knew it could grow into a larger problem by the end.

While battling through the condition, Busch found himself in the middle of a pack that ultimately elevated the engine temperature to a point that caused it to expire. Although Busch had led event laps and was trading positions within the top-10 competitors, the new team’s initial season run came to a close as Busch brought the ailing machine back to the garage, firming up a 32nd-place result.

Busch commented afterwards, “Last year we ran our cars at 260 (degrees) or 270 all day and today I was about 250 to 260 so I thought being less I was going to be okay and not hurt anything. I never really thought I pushed too much water out, but there at the end it just started to heat up, the oil temperature got hot and the thing never wanted to cool back down. I assumed it was short lived, what was going to happen.

Hate it for all my guys. It was entirely my fault – just pushing too hard during most of the day. Running behind Matt (Kenseth) there trying to get air and I couldn’t get air. He (Kenseth) kept backing up to me to get pushed and I’m like, ‘Man I can’t.’ I just went a little too long.”

Tony Stewart recorded his 19th Daytona NASCAR Nationwide Series victory, and seventh-time in the last nine season opening events. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Elliott Sadler, Matt Kenseth and BrianVickers finished 15th, 16th and 19th respectively. Sam Hornish Jr., Alex Bowman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch’s own team driver Parker Kligerman completed the top-five finishers. There were seven caution periods for 26 laps of the race along with 34 lead changes across 20 drivers.

The No. 54 Monster Energy team stands 32nd in the Owner’s Point standings, 34 points from the lead.

Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Pastrana earns career-high 10th-place finish in his DRIVE4COPD 300 debut

Next article Kligerman heads west with confidence in his KBM entry in Phoenix

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Catching Larson in the NASCAR Chase has to start at track where 'I suck'

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Phoenix II

28 min

Catching Larson in the NASCAR Chase has to start at track where 'I suck'

Verstappen charges from 24th to ninth as GetSpeed wins Portimao GTWC finale

GT World Challenge Europe Endurance

WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 1 h

Verstappen charges from 24th to ninth as GetSpeed wins Portimao GTWC finale

Colton Herta “maybe underestimated the difference” from IndyCar – F2 boss

FIA F2

F2 FIA F2 5 h

Colton Herta “maybe underestimated the difference” from IndyCar – F2 boss

WEC Barcelona: Genesis secures maiden series pole from Toyota

WEC

WEC WEC

Barcelona

6 h

WEC Barcelona: Genesis secures maiden series pole from Toyota

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts