NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES –STP 400, SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 1 P.M. EDT ON FOX
Kyle Busch Red-Hot But Kansas Represents Challenge
Two victories among five consecutive top-five finishes is proof the "real" Kyle Busch has returned to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Thirty-third in points after the season’s second race, Busch has climbed to third in the standings. Kansas Speedway, however, could represent a speed bump. In 11 trips to the 1.5-mile track, Busch has yet to finish higher than seventh.
Kansas Speedway Equals Blazing Speed
If it’s pure speed you’re looking for, Kansas Speedway has your ticket. Following last summer’s repave, lap speeds increased dramatically, from an existing track record of 180.856 mph to Kasey Kahne’s 191.360. Every qualifier eclipsed Matt Kenseth’s old mark. Now an even faster Gen-6 car is headed for America’s heartland. Drivers believe there’s only one way for speeds to go – and that’s up. Sunday’s race marks the first time Gen-6 will compete on an intermediate track in consecutive weeks.
Leader Johnson, Three Rivals, Pursue Third Kansas Victory
Can Kansas Speedway’s first three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner emerge on Sunday? Pick from several who have won twice: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart. Each member of the quartet ranks among the top five in Loop Data Driver Rating with Johnson’s whopping 119.5 topping the list. Johnson, who finished sixth in Texas, continues as the series points leader.
Truex Hopes To Shed Bridesmaid’s Role In Kansas
Martin Truex Jr. is a good pick – a very good pick - to win Sunday’s STP 400. It was a case of "woulda, coulda, shoulda" for the New Jersey veteran, who led 173 laps of last spring’s race but finished second to Denny Hamlin. Truex was second again in October. A visibly frustrated Truex posted yet another second-place finish on Saturday in Texas – losing the lead and the race when Kyle Busch beat his No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota out of the pits on the final stop.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Etc.
Brian Vickers’ eighth-place finish in Texas – his first race in relief of injured Denny Hamlin – preserved a top-10 ranking in owners points for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The team ranks eighth. … Rick Hendrick and Jack Roush are tied with four wins apiece for most victories at Kansas Speedway. A Hendrick car (Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48) last won in the fall of 2011. Roush Fenway Racing’s most recent victory (Matt Kenseth) came last October. … Four different manufacturers have won the past four races at Kansas Speedway.
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