Kyle Busch explains 'lucky break' that led to P2 finish after struggling early at Sonoma

If it hadn’t been for a timely caution during Stage 2 at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Busch might have struggled the entire race to get to the front. However, the NASCAR star got a big break and was able to put his car, which had trouble even in qualifying, into the top group and eventually, to a P2 finish.

After the race, Kyle Busch was happy with the P2 finish. Most of the time, drivers hate finishing second. However, after a big win last week and the fact his friend and former teammate Martin Truex Jr. won the race, Busch will take it and move on.

With a week off for Father’s Day, Busch should be happy to take a P1 and P2 finish into the break in back-to-back weeks.

“Well, I mean, we got a lucky break with the track with that caution where it flip-flopped right?” Kyle Busch said, via Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. “We were back in 10th, 11th (place) and just mired there not really going anywhere. Then we got up to the front and we didn’t really do anything up (in) front. We just maintained, we were fast enough to maintain that track position where guys who were up front got back where we were and then raced back up through that.

“That’s just the game, parity, right? Everybody’s so equal there’s not much you can do to outmaneuver a guy. It’s all on restarts or just trying to do the best you can in traffic.”

Kyle Busch wasn’t thrilled with his car Saturday in practice and wound up second in the race. How he did it: pic.twitter.com/9jNdp47bH1

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 11, 2023

That is probably the happiest you are going to see Kyle Busch after a second-place finish. He has three wins on the year so far, and that can do a lot to improve your attitude.

Kyle Busch unable to keep up with Martin Truex Jr.

Not only did Kyle Busch get a lucky break in Stage 2 with the loose wheel on Zane Smith’s car, but he also had one late as well. With 17 laps to go, Denny Hamlin wrecked at the start/finish line and sent the race into a restart with about 15 laps to go. It was a big moment for Truex Jr.

This caution also let Busch get his chance at taking the lead. Despite the restart, Busch couldn’t get around the cars he needed to in time to pressure Truex. Eventually, Busch settled into second and started to test his luck by driving hard into turns.

At some point, Kyle Busch seemed to realize it was best to get his car across the finish line instead of wrecking it in an attempt to catch the leader. By the end of the race, there really was nothing that Rowdy could do to answer his former teammate.

This one didn’t end with Busch sipping wine and Rowdy Energy in Victory Lane, but he will take the Stage 2 win, P2 finish, and move on to the off-week.