This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series paddock heads to Las Vegas. This is the home race for #18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Kyle Busch. In light of this, he spoke about the upcoming race and his chances of winning on home soil. Ignoring the fact that he is a Vegas native, he does know that winning at the track gives a driver a leg up in the Playoff competition.
He said, “You got to go win Vegas. So then they can automatically not have to worry about the next two weeks. You’re going out there, racing against 12 teams that want to win. Plus others that are outside, that want to win too. Everyone’s got the same mentality, knowing what’s to come in the next two weeks.”
The 2015 and 2019 champion also talked about whether he practiced on the simulator. He confessed that he had planned to have a session for Vegas, but he scrapped the plan after Darlington. Instead, Kyle Busch and the team will simply rely on their notes from their last race at the track earlier this year.
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What else did Kyle Busch say?
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According to Busch, he felt that he was among the Top 2 best cars at the track. This was especially useful at 1/2 mile tracks like Atlanta and at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Kansas. Owing to that, the #18 driver believes that his team’s notes will be helpful in aiding his quest for the title.
Speaking about simulation, he said, “I don’t think it works worse for me. It’s different for everybody, even our Truck guys have found frustrations. It all relates to where the rubber meets the road, so it’s all about the tyre model. Whatever tyre model you put in the sim, kind of the characteristic of what your vehicle will drive like.”
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Busch also revealed that all drivers have different methods of assessing the car. Without a doubt, it is quite difficult, and he and his teammates have treated their tires differently. At the end of the day, all that Busch can do is complete the race in the highest position possible.
READ MORE: Kyle Busch Opens Up on the Importance of Running at Las Vegas