NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

KYLE COLLECTS CHICAGOLAND CHECKERED FLAG - Busch Takes Top Spot in Tundra Ahead of Todd

JOLIET, Ill. (August 28, 2009) -- In Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Chicagoland Speedway, Kyle Busch passed fellow Toyota driver Todd Bodine late in the race and went on to capture the checkered flag -- his fourth NCWTS victory of the season.
 
Busch started fourth on the grid in his Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 51 Miccosukee Tundra and led the field four times for 79 (of 150) laps at the one-and-a-half-mile oval outside Chicago.  Following a late race restart, Busch was able to pass Bodine on lap 132 and then remain in front of the field all the way to the finish line.
 
“It was a really good night for us and our Miccosukee Tundra was pretty good,” said Busch, after the race.  “I’m really proud of what we did because we brought a brand new truck here out of the box.  That pass on the late restart -- I just had to make sure I got a good run on Todd (Bodine) on the bottom-side of the track.  I just had to stay there and keep going.  I had to keep my nose in there because that was the only position I had on him -- I had to keep my position.  Todd (Bodine) did a great job -- he helped make sure Toyota g0t a win here.”
 
Pit strategy played an important role in Busch being in position to take the lead late in the race.
 
“Pit strategy worked to our advantage,” explained Busch.  “I think with 20 laps into the race, or something like that -- I thought it was too early to stop to get tires, but we decided to get them.  Then I think we went 80 laps of racing and it really paid to our advantage.  I didn’t think it would, but it did.  We made sure we kept the right tires on it and kept the right adjustments in it and got the thing towards the front there.”
 
Busch now has won races in all three NASCAR series at Chicagoland Speedway.  In addition to his win tonight in the Camping World Truck Series, he recorded a Sprint Cup Series win and a Nationwide Series triumph at the track in 2008.
 
It was Toyota’s eighth NCWTS win of the season and 59th victory since joining the series at the beginning of the 2004 season.
 
Bodine ran among the leaders throughout the race in his Germain Racing No. 30 Ventrilo Tundra and was at the front of the field for 39 laps on his way to a runner-up result.
 
Tundra drivers following Busch and Bodine to the finish line were Aric Almirola (eighth), Timothy Peters (ninth), Terry Cook (10th), Stacy Compton (12th), Mike Skinner (13th) and T.J. Bell (15th).
Other Tundra drivers in the field were Brent Sherman (16th), David Starr (22nd), Tayler Malsam (23rd) and Brian Scott (28th).
 
Skinner (third) remains the highest-ranking Toyota driver in the unofficial NCWTS point standings following Chicagoland and is now 316 points behind leader Ron Hornaday, Jr.  Bodine (fourth), Scott (fifth), Starr (sixth) and Cook (10th) are also in the top-10 in the point standings after 16 of 25 races.
 
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action at Iowa Speedway, September 5.
 
Toyota NCWTS Driver Finishing Positions at Chicagoland Speedway
1st, KYLE BUSCH
2nd, TODD BODINE
8th, ARIC ALMIROLA
9th, TIMOTHY PETERS
10th, TERRY COOK
12th, STACY COMPTON
13th, MIKE SKINNER
15th, TJ BELL
16th, BRENT SHERMAN
22nd, DAVID STARR
23rd, TAYLER MALSAM
28th, BRIAN SCOTT
 
Toyota Drivers in NCWTS Point Standings – following Chicagoland Speedwayl**
3rd, MIKE SKINNER               2,277 points
4th, TODD BODINE                2,169 points
5th, BRIAN SCOTT                 2,154 points
6th, DAVID STARR                2,110 points
10th, TERRY COOK               2,015 points
11th, TIMOTHY PETERS        2,014 points
12th, STACY COMPTON        2,011 points
13th, TAYLER MALSAM        2,000 points
17th, T.J. BELL                        1,775 points
18th, KYLE BUSCH                 1,704 points
** unofficial point