Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing are pure magic right now
After his late-race charge to victory in the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch was asked what the magic was at Joe Gibbs Racing right now that put him in Victory Lane so often.
It was a fair question.
After all, Busch had just become the first driver since Harry Gant in 1991 to sweep two NASCAR national series races on consecutive weekends.
"I think the magic is Kyle Busch, but that's just me. Right, Joe?" Busch said as he looked at his tea owner Joe Gibbs.
"Just when I thought you were starting to really -- don't freak out on me," Gibbs responded, laughing.
Busch was kidding, of course, but there's no question he and the No. 18 JGR team are magical right now.
The driver is one of the best wheelmen in the sport, but the team around him, led by crew chief Adam Stevens, is equally stout.
"You've got to have all the pieces of the puzzle put together," Busch explained. "But I think more importantly we've got good cars, but the crew chiefs are just doing a really good job right now, I think, just being able to apply all the things that we've learned over the couple of years."
This might sound strange, but a big part of the team's success was its struggles during all of the 2014 season and the start of last year. When a championship-caliber team runs poorly long enough, sooner or later they should figure out their problems.
And Busch said that's pretty much what happened.
"We knew we were behind, and when we were struggling a couple years ago when we were behind, we were working in all areas of the race car and trying to make it better, trying to make it better, and we knew (engine supplier) TRD was behind a little bit," said Busch. "And when those guys caught up, man, it was easy."
Easy for JGR and Busch, maybe, but brutal for those chasing them.
"We've got everything going for us," said Busch. "The cars are good, engines are good, and crew chiefs are smart. Again, whole puzzle."
And the really scary thing?
Next week is Bristol, which is Busch's favorite track. Be afraid, be very afraid.
