If Kyle Busch wants to make the NASCAR 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup he needs a great finish at Richmond International Raceway . (Photo: LAT Photographic)
With four races to go until the field is set for the 2009 Chase to the Sprint Cup, Kyle Busch finds himself in an unfamiliar position: On the outside looking in.
In each of the past three seasons, Busch has qualified for NASCAR’s playoff round, and since joining Joe Gibbs Racing prior to the start of the 2008 season, no one has won more Cup races than the 24-year-old Las Vegas native. Come to think of it, no one has come close to posting the victory totals in NASCAR’s top three divisions that Busch has, given that he won a record 29 races in the Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series last year.
On top of that, Busch has all but already clinched the 2009 Nationwide title, where he has finished first or second in all of the last 10 races, and where his points leading is a staggering 212 over second-place Carl Edwards and 409 over third-place Brad Keselowski.
Yet, for all his successes, Busch is 13th in Sprint Cup points right now, 58 behind 12th-place Matt Kenseth and only 38 points ahead of 14th-place Brian Vickers. And while 58 points isn’t a whole lot to make up in four races, Busch is anything but a sure thing to make the Chase for a fourth consecutive season, something he readily acknowledges.
“We had a good run at The Glen and cut the margin almost in half, so that was a good start to getting ourselves back in,” said Busch after finishing fourth at Watkins Glen International on Monday, his first top-five finish in the last 13 races dating back to early May, when he won at Richmond International Raceway.
For Busch to make the Chase almost certainly will require additional multiple top-five finishes in the final four races of NASCAR’s 26-race regular season.
