MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kyle Busch remained undefeated in the Truck Series this season with yet another victory Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
Busch has won all three Truck Series races he has entered this year, and his latest victory is the 201st national series win of his career. He is off to an unbelievable start to the season with seven wins — including back-to-back victories in the Cup Series — and his lowest finish in any race is sixth.
Busch now has 54 career victories in the Truck Series, but Saturday was just his second win in 10 career starts at Martinsville in the No. 51 Toyota.
“It’s cool to win at Martinsville and cool to get to take home a clock,” Busch said of Martinsville’s grandfather clock trophy.
But Busch was then told that his crew chief, Rudy Fugle, wanted the clock to commemorate his first Martinsville win. Busch has three previous clocks, two from Cup Series victories.
“This is his first win here at Martinsville; I’ve won here with two other crew chiefs, I think, so it’s pretty cool to get Rudy his first win at Martinsville,” Busch said. “Yes, he can have the clock.”
Busch dominated and led 174 of 250 laps but a caution with eight laps remaining set up one last restart. Busch took off with three laps to go and cruised to the win, under caution, because of an accident on the final lap.
Ben Rhodes finished second and was followed by Brett Moffitt, Ross Chastain and Stewart Friesen.
Rhodes scored his best career finish at Martinsville and was grateful to race against Busch, particularly on the final restarts.
“We got beat by the best in the business,” Rhodes said. “It was fun following him and seeing how he was pacing himself, that’s something I’ve struggled with in the past. Any time you can restart next to that guy, I try to log it in my memory bank so I can get him next time.”
Fort Kent native Austin Theriault made his debut for Ricky Benton Racing in the No. 92 Ford and finished 22nd out of 32 cars, two laps down, after starting the race in the 26th position. He was in 24th place at the end of Stage 1 and 27th after Stage 2.
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Kyle Busch leads the field down the front stretch during the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Saturday, March 23. Austin Theriault is fifth from the back in the black and white truck. (AP Photo/Matt Bell)
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