Kyle Busch optimistic about his chances at Charlotte

Kyle Busch (Getty Images)
Kyle Busch (Getty Images)
Kyle Busch (Getty Images)

CONCORD, N.C. –  Kyle Busch has won a points race at every active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series track with only two exceptions: Pocono and Charlotte.

But that could change on Saturday night – at Charlotte, at least – If Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lives up to the expectations of the defending series champion. Even though Busch has never won in 25 starts at Charlotte, he’s always been quick under the lights at the 1.5-mile track.

“I think when we were here in the spring, we had a pretty good car,” Busch said. “In the All-Star race, for sure, we were pretty fast there – had a shot to win until the driver sped on pit road and screwed that up.

“And here last year, we were OK during the day race because it ran on Sunday, and so it just all kind of depends with what’s kind of going on, where your setup’s at, how the field stacks up, so with all those things you just try to throw your best ideas at it, and (Crew chief) Adam (Stevens) is pretty good at that.”

Though Busch couldn’t make a move on the track because of Friday’s rain, he did make a move as a team owner, announcing that fellow Las Vegas native Noah Gragson will drive full-full time for Kyle Busch Motorsports next year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

A product of the NASCAR Next program, Gragson was NASCAR K&N Pro Series West rookie of the year in 2015. This season, he has accumulated four victories in 26 starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and Pro Series West combined.

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.