Adversity is one thing in racing that is hard to overcome. Even if it is just one bad race, an entire team and it’s driver are under the spotlight because of something that happened either the week before or earlier in the season.
Last week, the race at New Hampshire is one that Kurt Busch would like to say never happened. The race day didn’t start off on the best note as on live television, Busch swore at a camera man. ESPN had to apologize for the remark, but it shows why there is a bit of a tape delay on these races. At the same time, it’s hard to predict when someone does that.
Shortly after, the drama began to unfold as the No. 22 Dodge of Busch was not even on the grid. The reason, his car failed inspection.
It was an easy fix, and something the crew should have caught, meaning no penalty. However, the drama around what was happening was intense. NASCAR literally held the car outside the inspection booth while the crew made the adjustment, and seemingly were holding it until they deemed it ready to leave. It wasn’t until later in the pre-race coverage that fans and broadcasters alike found out why it was held.
The reason was that on a weekly basis, Busch’s team was often one of the last cars to go through tech inspection before going to the grid. NASCAR was getting tired of it as this was a fully funded team that knows the procedures just like everyone, and seemed to always push the limits of the sanctioning body.
NASCAR finally put it’s foot down and in essence told the crew that for the rest of the season, they wanted that car first through the line, with no excuses.
Anyway, back to the race. The car was finally released, as if it was a caged animal, and was being quickly pushed to the grid as the National Anthem was being sang. The crew was in a full sprint to get the car in position. They made it to the grid, and Busch started the race as he kept his fifth starting spot. But, after that, it was like a parachute was on the car as he dropped like a rock through the field.
It cost the team points, and when the hauler left the track, the best view they had was a “Thank You for Visiting” sign.
The team arrived at Dover, and things went incredibly well with the team and the car. They went through tech early, got on the grid, after qualifying outside pole, and then had a competitive race.
How did it end…well as the photo showcases, it ended in victory lane.
This race was the perfect showcase of how a team and driver can overcome adversity from a bad weekend and turn it around into a positive. Busch is one of the more vocal drivers on the radio, and on more than one occasion has been critical of the car, team, and organization.
That was not the case on Sunday, as instead he was praising the team, the car, and the effort it took to get him into victory lane for just the second time this season.
Mighty impressive for the driver of the double deuce.
RESULTS: 1-Kurt Busch 2-Johnson 3-Edwards 4-Kahne 5-Kenseth 6-Kyle Busch 7-Allmendinger 8-Bowyer 9-Ambrose 10-Harvick
NOTABLE FINISHES: 12-Gordon 18-Hamlin 20-Keselowski 23-Newman 24-Earnhardt Jr. 25-Stewart
CAUTIONS: 10 for 44 laps. Lap 6-8 (#11, 43 accident-T3), 20-22 (Rain), 42-45 (Competition), 138-142 (#32 accident-T1), 176-179 (Debris-T3), 181-184 (#6, 47 accident-BS), 257-263 (Rain), 301-305 (#38 accident-T4), 353-358 (#32 accident-T2), 363-365 (#16 accident-FS).
LEAD CHANGES: 24 among 13 drivers. Truex Jr. 1-2, Kurt Busch 3-41, Bliss 42, McDowell 43, Sorenson 44, Kurt Busch 45-51, Edwards 52-110, Kyle Busch 111, Johnson 112-113, Keselowski 114-115, Edwards 116-138, Burton 139-142, Edwards 143-176, Allmendinger 177-184, Harvick 185-194, Johnson 195-247, Kenseth 248, Burton 249-252, Kenseth 253-254, Johnson 255-300, Kurt Busch 301, Johnson 302-353, Kurt Busch 354, Johnson 355-358, Kurt Busch 359-400.
TIME OF RACE: 3 Hrs, 30 Mins, 59 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: 119.413 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.908 Seconds
2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup: 1. Harvick, 2122 points; 2. Edwards, 2122 points; 3. Stewart, -9; 4. Kurt Busch, -9; 5. Johnson, -13; 6. Keselowski, -14; 7. Kenseth, -14; 8. Kyle Busch, -15; 9. Gordon, -19; 10. Earnhardt Jr, -34; 11. Newman, -41; 12. Hamlin, -68
