RACING roundup

SPRINT CUP

Busch brothers feel at home at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

LAS VEGAS

The Busch brothers grew up racing on the 3/8-mile bullring that now sits in the shadow of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, many miles north of the glittering lights of the Strip.

In a town where precious few residents have deep roots, Kurt and his kid brother, Kyle, grew up in the game on the Vegas track and eventually blossomed into NASCAR stars.

Even after moving away for their racing careers, the Durango High School graduates still get a charge from coming back for Sunday’s annual race.

“Every time I come out here, it reminds me of all the people that helped Kyle and I, especially our dad, Tom,” Kurt Busch said after claiming the pole. “The different late-model teams, modified teams, the Legends car races and all the competitors, the dwarf car days, it’s just fun to come back and to reminisce. Ultimately, you’ve got to strap on the helmet, focus on the task at hand, but it’s always special in Vegas.”

Kyle Busch got his weekend off to an outstanding start with a victory in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, leading all but one lap in his first victory in 12 tries in NASCAR’s second-tier series at his home track.

Fans in other cities don’t always embrace the Busch brothers, to put it politely. In Vegas, the hometown guys see their colors and numbers around every corner on autograph-seekers and old friends alike.

The trip evokes memories for Kurt Busch, who volunteered for the Vegas track safety crew in the 1990s “just so I could be closer to the action.”

“I like the love, the camaraderie, just the overall family-and-friend aspect,” Kurt Busch added. “I mean, walking from Victory Lane, getting the pole, I saw three old crew members and one of the lead track crew safety guys.”

Kurt Busch would love to add a bit more success to his happy homecoming: He has yet to win the annual NASCAR race on the Vegas track, and he missed last year’s race while under an indefinite suspension for a domestic violence complaint against him from his ex-girlfriend.

Kyle, the defending Sprint Cup Series champion, has just one Sprint Cup win in Vegas, back in 2009, and he missed last season’s race with his broken leg.

While Kyle’s Xfinity victory is a good omen, Kurt Busch also is in position for a big Sunday after winning pole for the second straight week and setting the track speed record. He also started first last week in Atlanta with a team that has taken full advantage of NASCAR’s new low-downforce package and tire setup.

BLOWN AWAY: High winds are expected at the track on Sunday ahead of a desert storm. While the rain should miss the racers, wind gusts of 40 mph won’t be surprising during the competition.

“Looking at the forecast, it looks pretty gnarly for the wind,” Kurt Busch said, immediately adding: “That’s a West Coast term, gnarly.”

Joey Logano, who starts up front alongside Kurt Busch, predicts the track will be “dangerous, treacherous for sure.”

Xfinity

Kyle Busch dominates to win Saturday’s race at LVMS

LAS VEGAS

Kyle Busch led all but one of the 200 laps Saturday to earn his first career Xfinity Series at his home track.

Busch scored a Cup victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009, but was 0-for-11 in his previous starts in NASCAR’s second tier series.

The victory for Busch was his 78th in the Xfinity Series, and second consecutive this season. He also won last weekend at Atlanta.

“It feels really good for as good as this car was,” said Busch. “It was really, really fast. This is 2-for-2 and that’s pretty cool, and to check this one off the box is awesome, too.”

He put a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Vegas victory lane for the first time in team history in the Xfinity Series. The JGR drivers went 1-2-3 in a sweep of the podium as Daniel Suarez finished second and Erik Jones came from two laps down to finish third.

Darrell Wallace Jr. was the only driver to lead one lap.

Suarez’s finish moved him to the lead in the points standings. He’s got a three-point lead over Elliott Sadler.

“It took me too much time to figure out how to be fast in a loose race car in traffic,” Suarez said of his inability to challenge teammate Busch.

Jones, who was penalized for speeding and then caught speeding again as he went to pit road to serve his punishment, was two laps down after the gaffes.

“Just wish we could have been in contention all day,” said Jones, who believed he had “a car that could run with Kyle at times.”

Associated Press