MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Age: 32
Team: No. 18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
Crew Chief: Adam Stevens
IN THE WORDS OF THE WINNER – “Can’t say enough about everybody on my Joe Gibbs Racing team. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and the guys are phenomenal. Car might not have been perfect, but I’m never perfect. I never feel like we’re perfect, but this Caramel Camry was fast. So proud of these guys, so proud of my team, so proud of Joe Gibbs Racing. So proud of Rowdy Nation, this one’s for you.”
· Kyle Busch
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· Kyle Busch won the 57th annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night. It is Busch’s 40th win in 450 career MENCS races.
· Busch complete the sweep at Bristol, winning the XFINITY Series race on Friday and the Camping World Truck Series race on Wednesday. This is the second time Busch sweeps a Bristol race weekend (2010) – the only driver to ever do so.
· It is Busch’s second victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2017, and his sixth victory and 14th top-10 finish in 25 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Erik Jones (second) was the highest finishing rookie, posting a career-best finish in the Monster Energy Series. It is his third top-5 finish in 2017, and his second in a row. It is also his first top-10 finish in two races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Denny Hamlin (third) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 24 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his ninth top-5 finish this season.
· For 2017, NASCAR has introduced a new stage format in all three national series where each race is segmented into three stages. In addition to the points awarded at the end of a race (Final Stage), points are also awarded to the top-10 finishers of the first two stages (Stage 1 & Stage 2).
· Busch won Stage 1 of Saturday’s race, while Matt Kenseth won Stage 2.
· Martin Truex Jr. (951) leads the 2017 point standings by 101 points over Kyle Busch (850). They are followed by Kyle Larson (845) and Kevin Harvick (824).
· Thirteen drivers currently have qualified for the 16-driver field of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The list consists of Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch, each of whom has won at least one race this season. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 400 championship finale on November 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
· In 12 career MENCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch has had five top-10 finishes, including a victory in the 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 as he captured the first Monster Energy Series championship of his career.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
· Kyle Busch won the 36th annual Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night. It is Busch’s 91st win in 337 career XFINITY Series starts. It is also his fifth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2017.
· It is Busch’s ninth victory and 20th top-10 finish in 25 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Daniel Suarez (second) posted his fifth top-10 finish in six races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2017.
· Elliott Sadler (third) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 22 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Daniel Hemric (seventh) was the highest finish rookie.
· With victories to their credit this year, William Byron (3), Justin Allgaier (1) and Ryan Reed (1) have clinched spots in the 12-driver playoff field in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 300 XFINITY Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 18.
· Elliott Sadler (807) leads the XFINITY Series points standings by 110 points over rookie William Byron (697). They are followed by Justin Allgaier (671).
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
· Kyle Busch won the 20th annual UNOH 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 49th victory in 140 Camping World Truck Series starts. It is also his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2017.
· It is Busch’s fifth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 11 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Matt Crafton (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 15 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2017.
· John H. Nemechek (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in four races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Grant Enfinger (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
· Christopher Bell (4 wins), John Hunter Nemechek (2 wins), rookie Kaz Grala (1 win), Johnny Sauter (1 win) and Matt Crafton (1 win) all have qualified for the 8-driver field in the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 200 Camping World Truck Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, November 17.
· Christopher Bell (615) leads the points standings by 42 points over Johnny Sauter (573). Two-time series champion Matt Crafton has compiled 562 and is third, while rookie Chase Briscoe is fourth with 534 points.
Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Age: 32
Team: No. 18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota
Owner: Joe Gibbs Racing
Crew Chief: Adam Stevens
IN THE WORDS OF THE WINNER – “Can’t say enough about everybody on my Joe Gibbs Racing team. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and the guys are phenomenal. Car might not have been perfect, but I’m never perfect. I never feel like we’re perfect, but this Caramel Camry was fast. So proud of these guys, so proud of my team, so proud of Joe Gibbs Racing. So proud of Rowdy Nation, this one’s for you.”
· Kyle Busch
----------------
· Kyle Busch won the 57th annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night. It is Busch’s 40th win in 450 career MENCS races.
· Busch complete the sweep at Bristol, winning the XFINITY Series race on Friday and the Camping World Truck Series race on Wednesday. This is the second time Busch sweeps a Bristol race weekend (2010) – the only driver to ever do so.
· It is Busch’s second victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2017, and his sixth victory and 14th top-10 finish in 25 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Erik Jones (second) was the highest finishing rookie, posting a career-best finish in the Monster Energy Series. It is his third top-5 finish in 2017, and his second in a row. It is also his first top-10 finish in two races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Denny Hamlin (third) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 24 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his ninth top-5 finish this season.
· For 2017, NASCAR has introduced a new stage format in all three national series where each race is segmented into three stages. In addition to the points awarded at the end of a race (Final Stage), points are also awarded to the top-10 finishers of the first two stages (Stage 1 & Stage 2).
· Busch won Stage 1 of Saturday’s race, while Matt Kenseth won Stage 2.
· Martin Truex Jr. (951) leads the 2017 point standings by 101 points over Kyle Busch (850). They are followed by Kyle Larson (845) and Kevin Harvick (824).
· Thirteen drivers currently have qualified for the 16-driver field of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The list consists of Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch, each of whom has won at least one race this season. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 400 championship finale on November 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
· In 12 career MENCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch has had five top-10 finishes, including a victory in the 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 as he captured the first Monster Energy Series championship of his career.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
· Kyle Busch won the 36th annual Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night. It is Busch’s 91st win in 337 career XFINITY Series starts. It is also his fifth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2017.
· It is Busch’s ninth victory and 20th top-10 finish in 25 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Daniel Suarez (second) posted his fifth top-10 finish in six races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2017.
· Elliott Sadler (third) posted his 11th top-10 finish in 22 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Daniel Hemric (seventh) was the highest finish rookie.
· With victories to their credit this year, William Byron (3), Justin Allgaier (1) and Ryan Reed (1) have clinched spots in the 12-driver playoff field in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 300 XFINITY Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 18.
· Elliott Sadler (807) leads the XFINITY Series points standings by 110 points over rookie William Byron (697). They are followed by Justin Allgaier (671).
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
· Kyle Busch won the 20th annual UNOH 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 49th victory in 140 Camping World Truck Series starts. It is also his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2017.
· It is Busch’s fifth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 11 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Matt Crafton (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 15 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2017.
· John H. Nemechek (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in four races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
· Grant Enfinger (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
· Christopher Bell (4 wins), John Hunter Nemechek (2 wins), rookie Kaz Grala (1 win), Johnny Sauter (1 win) and Matt Crafton (1 win) all have qualified for the 8-driver field in the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. The Playoffs culminate with the Ford EcoBoost 200 Camping World Truck Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, November 17.
· Christopher Bell (615) leads the points standings by 42 points over Johnny Sauter (573). Two-time series champion Matt Crafton has compiled 562 and is third, while rookie Chase Briscoe is fourth with 534 points.
