Kyle Busch outsmarts field, wins FR8 208

HAMPTON, Ga. — Leading the final seven laps, Kyle Busch held off charges from the Craftsman Truck Series field to win the FR8 208 Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The all-time Craftsman Truck Series winner extended his streak of winning at least one Truck Series race per season to 12 consecutive.

“There’s been a lot of history here, winning races at Atlanta,” Busch said. “Thanks to everybody at Chevrolet, thanks to Rowdy Nation, I appreciate everybody and their support. Let’s go for two (wins).”

Busch was the only Cup Series regular to race in the Truck Series race.

Ty Majeski finished second, but was attempting to make a pass on race-winner Busch.

“I got to his bumper down the backstretch and it was in my hands to make the move,” Majeski said. “He blocked the bottom so I faded right to try to get to his quarter panel. If the 11 could have gone with me, we probably could have won the race, but it just didn’t work out that way.”

Corey Heim, Taylor Gray, and Nick Sanchez rounded out the Top-5 finishers.

STAGE ONE

Daniel Dye led the field to the green flag but moves from Ty Majeski and Tyler Ankrum meant he didn’t stay there as they led laps 1 and 2, respectively. Then, a familiar face to the Truck Series – Kyle Busch – took his turn up front for two laps.

After Busch and Ankrum swapped the lead twice, Ankrum’s teammate Christian Eckes established himself as a favorite. He led 18 of the final 20 laps in the stage, holding off a challenge from Majeski after a lap 17 caution for Keith McGee spinning, to claim the stage win.

TOP-10: Christian Eckes, Ankrum, Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, Majeski, Ben Rhodes, Jake Garcia, Busch, Jack Wood, Dye

STAGE TWO

As stage two began, stage one winner Eckes was missing.

Brake issues sidelined the former Atlanta winner, with Eckes falling out of the race after 50 laps. He finished last (33rd).

The stage featured two cautions for crashes and two for debris. The stage saw Busch led the way over Ankrum and Grant Enfinger.

TOP-10: Busch, Ankrum, Enfinger, Tanner Gray, Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez, Majeski, Rajah Caruth, Taylor Gray, Bayley Currey

THROUGH THE FIELD

Kaden Honeycutt, Tyler Ankrum, Rajah Caruth, pole-sitter Daniel Dye, and Dean Thompson rounded out the Top-10 finishers.

FR8 208 at Atlanta Results

1. Kyle Busch
2. Ty Majeski
3. Corey Heim
4. Taylor Gray
5. Nick Sanchez
6. Kaden Honeycutt
7. Tyler Ankrum
8. Rajah Caruth
9. Daniel Dye
10. Dean Thompson
11. Bret Holmes
12. Lawless Alan
13. Matt Crafton
14. Ty Dillon
15. Chase Purdy
16. Jake Garcia
17. Colby Howard
18. Timmy Hill
19. Tanner Gray
20. Mason Massey
21. Keith McGee
22. Spencer Boyd
23. Stewart Friesen
24. Layne Riggs
25. Mason Maggio
26. Grant Enfinger
27. Thad Moffitt
28. Matt Mills
29. Ben Rhodes
30. Conner Jones
31. Bayley Currey
32. Jack Wood
33. Christian Eckes

Jonathan Fjeld, Dominic Aragon and Joe Laracuente contributed to this report.