FAIRLAWN, Va. — Put NASCAR Cup Series drivers in the seat of identically prepared stock cars and you are going to get Cup Series drivers in victory lane.
Kyle Busch became the second regular from NASCAR’s senior series to win a Superstar Racing Experience feature in as many weeks Thursday night at Pulaski County Motorsports Park. He was also the fourth driver in SRX history to win his debut race.
Denny Hamlin won last week’s race and part-time Cup Series driver Ryan Newman won the opener at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Busch used his short-track racing experience to work his way through the field in the 100-lap finale. With Tony Stewart leading, Brad Keselowski moved around Stewart for the point on lap 50. Busch, who was third, bumped the back of Stewart’s machine to grab second.
He tried the same move on Keselowski on lap 56, but Keselowski spun and the yellow flag waved.
Busch led on the restart and had to survive a pair of accidents including a multi-car accident on lap 90 that involved Paul Tracy, Marco Andretti, Ken Schrader and Josef Newgarden. Tracy shoved Newgarden into the outside wall, then spun into the path of Andretti, Schrader and Hailie Deegan.
Schrader noted he was “done” with racing Tracy in SRX during his post-incident interview on ESPN.
Bowyer was keeping pressure on Busch by running the apron, but the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion held off Bowyer in the final dash to the finish. Stewart, Keselowski and Newman completed the top five.
The finish:
Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman, Helio Castroneves, Bobby Labonte, Hailie Deegan, Marco Andretti, Paul Tracy, Josef Newgarden, Ken Schrader.