Kyle Busch’s win on Saturday night at the ripe old age of 24 was his 50th career victory in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions. (PHOTO: LAT Photographic)
Kyle Busch had a question when he walked into the infield media center at Richmond International Raceway following his victory in Saturday night’s Crown Royal Presents The Russ Friedman 400. Told that he had just joined Cale Yarborough as the only Sprint Cup drivers to win races on their birthdays, Busch grinned that big, wide grin of his. “How old was he when he did it?” Busch asked a NASCAR public relations person.
Busch, who turned 24 on Saturday, wanted to know how he stacked up age-wise against Yarborough, the three-time Cup champion who won on his birthday in North Wilkesboro, N.C., at the age of 38 and again six years later in Atlanta.
Now, there are some who might find Busch’s question to be a sign of cockiness. It didn’t come off that way in person, but the Las Vegas native would be forgiven if he was a little cocky, because he’s got the numbers to back it up.
Busch’s win on Saturday night at the ripe old age of 24 was his 50th career victory in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions. It also was his series-leading third Cup victory of 2009, to go along with a series-leading three more in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he also leads the points and won at RIR Friday night to kick off his sweep weekend.
Throw in two more victories in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Busch already has eight wins in 2009 less than one-third of the way through the NASCAR season. Busch set the record with 21 last season; no other driver in the modern era has won more than 14 NASCAR races in a single season.
So far, Busch has made Joe Gibbs Racing looking like a genius for hiring him prior to the start of last season.
Ultimately, Busch said, he’d like to win a total of 200 NASCAR races, the same number Richard Petty won in the Cup Series alone. Whether that’s achievable is debatable, but what the numbers Busch has posted so far speak for themselves.
Asked if he could really hit 200, Busch was unsure. “It could if I can keep this pace up,” he said. “But I know the older I get I'll start slowing down some way. You know, hopefully I can achieve that goal. It would be sure nice to get that. I know it's not 200 Cup victories like Richard Petty has. It will still be a phenomenal mark for me. I don't know how long I'll be in the Truck Series or Nationwide Series, but hopefully for as long as Joe will let me in the Truck Series, and as long as there's a Nationwide car at Joe Gibbs that we can run, I'll be there running races and fulfilling some duties and deals there. Cup stuff is the ultimate priority.”
