LONDON, ON - You never would have known Kyle Busch had a full weekend of racing ahead of him in Chicago, or that in his personal life he's newly engaged with a fiancée in the throes of planning their wedding. At 25 years of age, the Las Vegas native has perfected the art of grace under pressure. And here at Delaware Speedway, with fellow NASCAR stars David Reutimann and Jason Leffler, Kyle remained focused on the one thing he always focuses on when the smells of fuel and asphalt are in the air: winning.
The Summer Showdown presented by APC was a day-long affair including autograph sessions and practices for the drivers familiar and unfamiliar with the Delaware track. Each of the three guest drivers had a slew of fans but it was clear by the number of M and M themed caps, coats and shirts to be signed that Busch was the man whom most came to see.
When the trackside interviews were due to start, there was brief a delay while Kyle slid under his #51 from Steve Robblee to make a couple of tweaks. (Robblee's #28 was re-decaled to become 51 – Matt Robblee's 51 became 51x. A back injury kept Steve off the track.) Busch had been the fastest in practice and set a new track record when he did his time trials: 18.634. But the "Ooooh" had barely faded among the crowd when Busch's occasional competitor in NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series races, DJ Kennington, shattered the fresh record with a new fastest lap of 18.509.
The format had the top 3 in each heat guaranteed a berth in the main 50-lap race. The rest duked it out in a last chance qualifying 25-lapper. Scott Lindsay (20) who placed fourth in time trials was kept out of all of the fun over car trouble.
Kennington and Busch each easily took their heats. Mark Watson won the third and Reutimann, in the 00 Canusa Car owned by Jamie Ramsay, owned the fourth with NASCAR Nationwide racer Leffler on his bumper the whole time. Leffler was piloting Matt Pritiko's #21 for the night.
The "B Main" race was a 25 lapper whose top 10 finishers would be allowed to run in the main race and no one wanted to be left out. Pete Vanderwyst, whose track record was beaten twice earlier in the night, had the pole. Just two laps away from the checkered flag with Vanderwyst still in the lead, John Urlin spun on turns 1 and 2 and narrowly missed meeting some metal. The race ended the night for several drivers while Vanderwyst took the win.
The 50 lap feature race got underway with a wave from five thousand fans packing the stands and the lawn, Kennington at the pole and Busch at his side.
At lap 12 Kris Martin spun in turn 3 and a bunch of cars that followed were caught up. Shawn McWhirter (31) was towed off. McWhirter had caused an earlier caution with a spin on turn one.
At lap 18 Busch was just about to claim the lead when a caution was called over a connection on turn four, somehow involving Reutimann but all eyes were on the fight for the lead. Busch hadn't been in front long enough to claim a full lap when the caution was called. The yellow flag flew at the restart of 18 caused by heavy smoke from the 81 of Andrew Gresel after some involvement with the 7 of Pete Vanderwyst. Then a couple of tangles involving Ron Sheridan and Jason Leffler, and David Reutimann with Pete Vanderwyst ended Vanderwyst's night, and sent Reutimann to pit road. Sheridan, who had started 7th, and Leffler provided some heavy talent at the back of the pack.
At lap 28, Stephen Richmond took the #11 to pit road. Meantime, Ron Sheridan was systematically working his way up through the pack.
At lap 32, just as Kyle Busch was about to have to deal with negotiating around lap traffic on a track he's not used to, Kris Martin took a twirl at turn one and Sharpie put up the yellow flag again. With 11 laps to go Andy Kamarath (83) and Mike Bentley (29) caused another caution. Simultaneously, Mark Watson (78) pulled over on turns 1 and 2 and told our announcers he heard a clunk. Whitworth Towing took him off the track.
Busch at times commanded the track and at others looked potentially vulnerable to Kennington who has already won a feature here this season and two NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races in '10, including the opener at Delaware. As the laps dwindled away, Kennington continued to close in on Busch, looking for an opportunity to reclaim the lead. But it wasn't meant to be! Busch told us on the radio that it was his race and he proved it with a win in the Summer Showdown. DJ Kennington landed second. It was a great showing for two-time Great Canadian Race winner Jesse Kennedy who came third. Dion Verhoeven was fourth and Ron Sheridan fifth.
On the podium Busch said he took advantage when Kennington got a little loose. He praised Delaware Speedway and especially the fans. Earlier he thanked Steve Robblee for giving him tips on how to run on Delaware's "finicky" track. DJ Kennington said Kyle deserved the race because "he kicked my butt" but getting the track speed record was something great to come away with.
Friday July 9th is News-Talk 1290 CJBK night at Delaware Speedway. If you joined us for the Summer Showdown, bring you ticket stub on Friday July 9th and get 50% off admission. And we've got a special purse for our King of the Hill spectator race – total prize winnings of $1000 cash!
TIME TRIALS
1. 51 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV
2. 3 DJ Kennington St Thomas
3. 78 Mark Watson London
4. 20 Scott Lindsay St. Marys
5. 9 Brandon Watson Stayner
6. 52 Ron Sheridan Mt. Brydges
7. 21 Jason Leffler Long Beach,CA
8. 25 Cole Powell Delaware
9. 77 Dion Verhoeven Kerwood
10. 81 Andrew Gresel Hepworth
11. 00 David Reutimann Zepherlis,FL
12. 7 Pete Vanderwyst St. Thomas
13. 2 Doug Stewart London
14. 4 Jonathan Urlin London
15. 11 Stephen Richmond Appin
16. 36 Gary Elliott Acton
17. 22 Jamie Ramsay London
18. 10 Jesse Kennedy Southwold
19. 72 Shawn Thompson Ailsa Craig
20. 43 Jay Doerr London
21. 27 Mat Box Mississauga
22. 31 Shawn McWhirter Mount Forest
23. 46 Kris Martin London
24. 08 Jason Parker Paisley
25. 37 David Elliott Acton
26. 10x Gord Shepherd Hawkestone
27. 14 Rick Emery Ruscom
28. 29 Mike Bentley Acton
29. 51x Matt Robblee Dorchester
30. 83 Andy Kamarath Owen Sound
31. 5 Jay Christie Lasalle
32. 8 Marc Jacobs London
33. 33 Jamie Grover Glencoe
HEAT RACE #1
1. 3 DJ Kennington St Thomas
2. 52 Ron Sheridan Mt. Brydges
3. 10 Jesse Kennedy Southwold
4. 81 Andrew Gresel Hepworth
5. 27 Mat Box Mississauga
6. 10x Gord Shepherd Hawkestone
7. 36 Gary Elliott Acton
8. 8 Marc Jacobs London
HEAT RACE #2
1. 51 Kyle Busch Las Vegas,NV
2. 37 David Elliott Acton
3. 77 Dion Verhoeven Kerwood
4. 11 Stephen Richmond Appin
5. 72 Shawn Thompson Ailsa Craig
6. 08 Jason Parker Paisley
7. 14 Rick Emery Ruscom
8. 33 Jamie Grover Glencoe
HEAT RACE #3
1. 78 Mark Watson London
2. 9 Brandon Watson Stayner
3. 31 Shawn McWhirter Mount Forest
4. 83 Andy Kamarath Owen Sound
5. 29 Mike Bentley Acton
6. 22 Jamie Ramsay London
7. 7 Pete Vanderwyst St. Thomas
8. 51x Matt Robblee Dorchester
HEAT RACE #4
1. 00 David Reutimann Zepherlis,FL
2. 21 Jason Leffler Long Beach,CA
3. 46 Kris Martin London
4. 2 Doug Stewart London
5. 43 Jay Doerr London
6. 5 Jay Christie Lasalle
7. 25 Cole Powell Delaware
8. 4 Jonathan Urlin London
9. 20 Scott Lindsay St. Marys
B FEATURE RESULTS
1. 7 Pete Vanderwyst St. Thomas
2. 22 Jamie Ramsay London
3. 9 Brandon Watson Stayner
4. 11 Stephen Richmond Appin
5. 14 Rick Emery Ruscom
6. 27 Mat Box Mississauga
7. 08 Jason Parker Paisley
8. 43 Jay Doerr London
9. 25 Cole Powell Delaware
10. 29 Mike Bentley Acton
11. 51x Matt Robblee Dorchester
12. 4 Jonathan Urlin London
13. 10x Gord Shepherd Hawkestone
14. 2 Doug Stewart London
15. 36 Gary Elliott Acton
16. 5 Jay Christie Lasalle
17. 33 Jamie Grover Glencoe
18. 8 Marc Jacobs London
19. 72 Shawn Thompson Ailsa Craig
20. 81 Andrew Gresel Hepworth
21. 20 Scott Lindsay St. Marys
FEATURE RESULTS
1. 51 Kyle Busch Las Vegas,NV
2. 3 DJ Kennington St Thomas
3. 10 Jesse Kennedy Southwold
4. 77 Dion Verhoeven Kerwood
5. 52 Ron Sheridan Mt. Brydges
6. 25 Cole Powell Delaware
7. 72 Shawn Thompson Ailsa Craig
8. 22 Jamie Ramsay London
9. 37 David Elliott Acton
10. 14 Rick Emery Ruscom
11. 29 Mike Bentley Acton
12. 00 David Reutimann Zepherlis,FL
13. 27 Mat Box Mississauga
14. 08 Jason Parker Paisley
15. 5 Jay Christie Lasalle
16. 78 Mark Watson London
17. 83 Andy Kamarath Owen Sound
18. 46 Kris Martin London
19. 11 Stephen Richmond Appin
20. 21 Jason Leffler Long Beach,CA
21. 7 Pete Vanderwyst St. Thomas
22. 81 Andrew Gresel Hepworth
23. 9 Brandon Watson Stayner
24. 51x Matt Robblee Dorchester
25. 43 Jay Doerr London
26. 31 Shawn McWhirter Mount Forest
From Lisa Brandt / Public and Media Relations, Delaware Speedway
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