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BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, walks through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 22: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, walks through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Erik Jones won, and won big at the Cook Out Southern 500, giving the #43 car its first win in eight years. However, the win was arguably still not the most shocking moment of the evening, as Hendrick Motorsports legend explains how it was Kyle Busch who delivered the most jaw-dropping moment of the race.
With the way things were going at Darlington, people were sure Busch will take the win considering his pace all weekend. In fact, the driver led a race-high, 155 laps. Of course, victory was at arm’s length for the Candyman. But everything went downhill as we saw a stream of smoke gushing out of the #18 car, caused by an engine failure, ending his day then and there.
In fact, Hendrick Motorsports legend, Steve Letarte, described that as the most shocking moment of the race.
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It caught him off guard as he explained, “I didn’t believe what I was seeing. I see smoke billow out of the #18 all of a sudden.”
“It was the most shocking moment, really, for all of us. We didn’t know that was going to happen.”
Busch was running an incredible race, with a 3-second gap over the 2nd driver, Tyler Reddick. Clearly, the #18 being driven to Victory Lane for the 2nd time this season seemed to be very close. More importantly, it would be the first win of the playoffs.
"The sun will come up tomorrow."
Kyle Busch was frustrated after his engine failed while leading inside 30 laps to go, but will look to rebound in Kansas. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/jfKXuy5AGF
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 5, 2022
Unfortunately, it all went south for the driver. And his future in the Cup Series doesn’t look too bright yet either. On the other hand, there is someone that benefited heavily from the engine failure, and it’s none other than Erik Jones.
Erik Jones made the best of Kyle Busch’s bad day
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Jones passed Reddick in the pit lane, and the only one to deal with now was Kyle Busch. But that threat didn’t last too long.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 08: Erik Jones, driver of the #20 DEWALT Toyota, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
Busch’s engine killed his day along with itself, and this is where the #43 came in to maximize the opportunity. Letarte said, “Once you gave Erik Jones the lead, then you only have to hold off, I don’t know, one of the best drivers ever at Darlington? And, Denny Hamlin, he made it look simple but it was it was a challenge.”
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In the end, #18 had a bad day, but it made Richard Petty’s day. So, it seems the Southern 500 was not so bad after all. What do you think? Was it a good race?
