FONTANA, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2023) – In just his second points-paying start since joining Richard Childress Racing, Kyle Busch drove the No. 8 Lucas Oil Camaro ZL1 team to victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway. The victory marked Busch’s fifth NCS win at Auto Club Speedway, extending his record as the winningest active driver at the southern California oval. The 37-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, native now sits at 61 career victories in NASCAR’s premier series, a feat that tops all active drivers in the series.
“I can’t thank Richard and Judy (Childress) enough,” said Busch. “I can’t thank Austin (Dillon) enough for calling me and getting me this opportunity to be able to come over here to RCR; and be a part of Chevrolet and be able to race this Lucas Oil Camaro today.”
Auto Club Speedway is the home of Busch’s first career win in NASCAR’S premier series (2005), which came behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine for Hendrick Motorsports. Busch’s victory also marked the 19th consecutive season that he has won a NCS race, breaking the record that was previously set by Richard Petty.
Busch’s victory marks Chevrolet’s second NCS win of 2023; the manufacturer’s series-leading 17th – and third consecutive – NCS win at Auto Club Speedway; and its 835th all-time victory in NASCAR’s premier series. Busch is the second driver to claim a berth into the series’ 16-driver playoff field, joining fellow Chevrolet driver and Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
For the second consecutive season, Chevrolet drivers swept the top-four finishing positions at Auto Club Speedway; a feat that was accomplished by drivers from three different Chevrolet teams. Chase Elliott drove his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 from the 33rd starting position to top-10 finishes in both stages, ultimately taking the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Ross Chastain swept both stage wins and led a race-high 91 laps en route to a third place finish for the No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1 team. Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez, rounded out the top-four in his No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1. Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman finished 8th in his No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, followed by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Coatings Camaro ZL1 team in the ninth-position to give Chevrolet six top-10 finishes in the series’ final race on the track’s 2-mile configuration.
The NCS west coast swing continues at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, March 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.