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BUSCH BLITZES BRISTOL FOR FIRST NASCAR SWEEP - Victory Catapults Kyle to Third in Points

BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 21, 2010) – Kyle Busch became the first driver in history to sweep all three NASCAR national series races in a single weekend when he captured the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Saturday night. Earlier in the week, Busch won the Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and Nationwide Series (NNS) races on the half mile high-banked oval.

Busch won the race in dominating style, leading four times for 282 of 500 laps. It was Busch’s third win of the 2010 season and 12th top-10 finish, moving him to third in the unofficial NSCS point standings.

“This is awesome,” Busch, said following the race. “I love Bristol and I love winning. And to do it for the first time ever in NASCAR, to sweep the weekend, man, that’s pretty awesome. I don’t know what to think. I’ve been trying to do this since I got to NASCAR. Fortunately, tonight I was able to get it done, be the first one to do it.”

David Reutimann was second, giving Toyota a one-two Camry finish. Reutimann ran in the top five throughout the race and took the lead after the final pit stops with about 100 laps to go. He ran side-by-side with Busch for several laps before giving up the lead.

“He was getting faster and we were getting tighter, so I think we were just prolonging the inevitable, but when you’re leading the race you got to do what you can,” Reutimann said. “I just made a mistake. I got a little loose up off the corner. I got on the gas too quick, got too aggressive and he was there to pounce on it. And the rest is history.”

Quick pit work early on helped Busch move up among the leaders from his 19th starting position. He passed pole sitter Jimmie Johnson to take the lead for the first time on lap 172 and was seldom headed thereafter. A key point in the race came when he pitted for the final time and was able to beat Jamie McMurray out of the pits.

“I didn’t want to get beat again with guys on tires getting out in front me and me having to run them down and pass them later,” said Busch. “It was good to come to the pits when we did. We were able to get our tires and actually, we beat them out of the pits by a mile. Really good pit stops.”

Reed Sorenson (15th), Martin Truex Jr. (17th), Joey Logano (18th) and Marco Ambrose (20th) also finished in the top-20 for Toyota. Camry drivers Scott Speed (33rd), Denny Hamlin (34th), Kevin Conway (36th), Casey Mears (36th) Robby Gordon (40th), Todd Bodine (41st), Scott Riggs (42nd) and Michael McDowell (43rd) were also in the field.

With the finish, Busch climbed five spots to third in the unofficial NSCS point standings following Bristol. Hamlin (fifth), Reutimann (17th) and Truex (20th) are also in the top-20 in points after 24 of 36 races.

The Sprint Cup Series returns to action at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sept. 5.

Toyota NSCS Driver Finishing Positions at Bristol Motor Speedway
1st, KYLE BUSCH
2nd, DAVID REUTIMANN
15th, REED SORENSON
17th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
18th, JOEY LOGANO
20th, MARCSO AMBROSE
33rd, SCOTT SPEED
34th, DENNY HAMLIN
36th, KEVIN CONWAY
39th, CASEY MEARS
40th, ROBBY GORDON
41st, TODD BODINE
42nd, SCOTT RIGGS
43rd, MICHAEL MCDOWELL

Toyota Drivers in NSCS Point Standings -- following Bristol Motor Speedway**
3rd, KYLE BUSCH 3,170 points
5th, DENNY HAMLIN 3,108 points
17th, DAVID REUTIMANN 2,765 points
20th, MARTIN TRUEX JR. 2,660 points
21st, JOEY LOGANO 2,636 points
26th, MARCOS AMBROSE 2,276 points
27th, SCOTT SPEED 2,197 points

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