Kyle Busch’s Top-Five Finish Dashed by Last-Lap Incident with Chastain at Sonoma Raceway
In Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Busch’s strong run was cut short after a late-race incident with Ross Chastain on the final lap of the race.
Busch, who was poised for a potential top-five finish, found himself battling with Chastain for fifth place as they approached the closing stages of the 218.9-mile road course. However, contact between Chastain’s #1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and Busch’s #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sent Busch off the track, costing him several positions. Despite the setback, Busch managed to salvage a 12th place finish.
Speaking with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass after the race, Busch expressed frustration over the incident, stating that Chastain’s move had ruined his race and robbed him of a deserved top-five result.
“A couple of guys there at the end of the race had better tires than we did, but we were going to have a good day. Unfortunately, [Chastain] ruined that for us,” Busch commented on the last-lap incident.
The incident adds to Busch’s challenging season, as the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is currently experiencing the longest winless streak of his career. Despite his competitive performance, Busch has yet to secure a win in the 2024 season, contrasting with his three wins in the first half of the previous year.
With a winless streak spanning 37 races, Busch remains determined to break the dry spell and secure a spot in the playoffs. Despite the setback at Sonoma, Busch is holding onto the final playoff spot, sitting 15th in the Cup Series points standings with 380 points after 16 races.
As the season progresses, Busch will be aiming to turn his fortunes around and get back into victory lane to secure his playoff berth and regain momentum in his pursuit of another championship.
