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photo credit: Ron Olds
Like him or hate him Kyle Busch is one race away from reaching the goal 200, and the way he is running there is only a small chance that he will not accomplish the feat next weekend at Auto Club Speedway.
Busch has been on a streak, leaving Las Vegas with two out of three wins for the weekend, to breaking out the broom to sweep the desert dust with commanding victories.
“I’m incredibly proud of him,” older brother Kurt Busch said on pit road after placing seventh. “He’s always been my little brother and I never knew he had that work ethic in him. When we were kids, he never did anything. He was always couch loafing and I can make fun of him that way, being the older brother. 
(file photo)
“I think for me, you know, it happened in football where we had some guys that all of a sudden on Sundays when they put the helmet on, you kind of look at them, they get it,” Coach Joe Gibbs said in the post-race press conference. “They know what the sport’s about. They are after it. They’re determined. It’s not often you find it.
“Certainly I think with Kyle, over here in this sport, I think Kyle is one of those guys. When he puts the helmet on … I just think he’s an unusual talent. I think all of us that watch sports, me included, really appreciate those great athletes.
“Time will tell (where he ranks among the all-time greats),” Kurt Busch said, “It’ll be the picture painted around him and for him later on.
Race Results
NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series
TicketGuardian 500
SM Raceway,- AVONDALE, Ariz.
1 – Kyle Busch
2 – Martin Truex Jr.
3 – Ryan Blane
4 – Aric Almirola
5 – Denny Hamlin
6 – Kyle Larson
7 – Kurt Busch
8 – Jimmie Johnson
9 – Kevin Harvick
10 – Joey Logano
11 – Clint Bowyer
12 – Ryan Newman
13 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
14 – Chase Elliott
15 – Ty Dillon
16 – Chris Buescher
17 – Paul Menard
18 – Daniel Hemric
19 – Brad Keselowski
20 – Matt Tifft
21 – Austin Dillon
22 – Bubba Wallace
23 – Daniel Suarez
24 – William Byron
25 – David Ragan
26 – Corey Lajoie
27 – Ross Chastain
28 – Matt DiBenedetto
29 – Erik Jones
30 – Quin Houff
31 – Bayley Currey
32 – Cody Ware
The No. 18 entry was found with a single lug-nut not safe and secure after Sunday’s TicketGuardian 500. Under the guidelines in the 2019 NASCAR Rule Book, the minor infraction should result in a fine for crew chief Adam Stevens. The car was otherwise compliant with NASCAR’s rules, and the victory will stand.
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