Texas Motor Speedway notebook

By SCOTT WRIGHT, Staff Writer, swright@opubco.com Comments 0
Published: November 8, 2009

Busch looking for the Texas Triple

Kyle Busch is again in position to accomplish something no other NASCAR driver has by winning a Camping World Trucks race, Nationwide race and Sprint Cup race in the same weekend at the same track.

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Busch looking for the Texas Triple

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Busch held off Casey Mears on Saturday afternoon for his 29th career Nationwide victory and fourth straight in the series at Texas Motor Speedway.

Busch won the WinStar World Casino 350 Trucks race on Friday, and will try to complete the triple today in the Sprint Cup Dickies 500.

"We qualified better than we expected, fifth,” Busch said of today’s race. "I think we’ve got a fifth- to 10th-place car right now. I think we could be contenders at the end of the race.

"If the luck’s on our side and we play it smart, we could come out of here 3-for-3, and that would be pretty special.”

Busch leads the Nationwide standings by 272 points over Carl Edwards, but that could change before the drivers are back on the track in Phoenix next week. Busch could face a potential points penalty for improperly secured weight found during opening-day inspection.

Whether his penalty is points or only money, Busch is in good position to seal up the title possibly next week. And on Saturday, Busch made it extremely clear how much he dislikes losing.

"The only thing worse than finishing second is finishing second to a pregnant woman. Then you’re third,” he said. "That’s what sucks.”

Mears a surprising second place

In his first Nationwide start since 2007, the fact that Casey Mears was even on the track was just as surprising as his second-place finish.

Mears was driving the No. 29 typically piloted by Jeff Burton, but after a hard crash in Sprint Cup practice on Friday, team owner Richard Childress gave Burton the day off Saturday to rest up for today’s race.

"Fortunately I was there and I was the guy that fit in the seat,” said Mears, who hadn’t driven the car before Friday’s qualifying run. "It was definitely a surprise. To come in second, given the situation, was really fun.”

Burton will be in a backup car for today’s Cup race and will start 42nd.

"My head hurts. Just kind of a crappy way to start off,” Burton said Friday. "We were really fast in race trim. I was really happy with the car.”

By Scott Wright