Busch looking for three-of-a-kind in Dover

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - If racing is what makes Kyle Busch the happiest, then there’s no one who will have a bigger smile than him this weekend.

Busch is slated to compete in all three NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del., including yesterday’s Craftsman Truck Series AAA Insurance 200, today’s Nationwide Series Heluva Good! 200 at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon’s Sprint Cup Series Best Buy 400 at 1:30.

“I feel like I’m my best when I run the three different series, just getting as much track time as I can,” Busch said. “I feel more at home and in my realm when I’m out there on the race track.”

But if the race track is like Busch’s home, victory lane has to be his equivalent to a summer home, as Joe Gibbs Racing’s prized driver has totaled nine wins this season — four in Nationwide, two in Craftsman and three in the Cup chase.

The man behind the wheel of the No. 18 M&M Toyota leads nearly every statistical category in the Sprint Cup, including overall standings (1860 points), driver rating (113.1), average running position (8.34) and mile leaders (1026.43).

To finish first on Sunday, Busch must find a way to break through Chevy and Ford’s dominance of The Monster Mile. Chevy drivers have won 28 times at Dover, including last June’s victory by Martin Truex Jr. Ford drivers have won 23 times.

Toyota, however, in just its second year in the Cup series, leads the Manufacturers’ Championship points standings, ahead of Chevrolet, 73-71. Ford is third with 67 points and Dodge has 53 after Kasey Kahne’s win at the Coca-Cola 600 last weekend.

Also working against Busch is the heavy race load.

The most recent weekend off for the Cup drivers was in April and the next off weekend will be in July, making it 17 consecutive weeks on the track.

“The summer stretch is a test of ability and stamina — which teams are able to pull through hard times better than others, resources or no resources,” Bobby Labonte said. “It’s not easy, but you have to dig in and do it.”

Truex earned his first career win last year at the Delaware track in dominating fashion, leading 216 of 400 laps and successfully holding off pole sitter Ryan Newman.

“I think we’ve got a great shot in all three series to try and take home one,” Busch, who is expected to race more than 800 miles this weekend, said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

The AP contributed to this report.

dcarey@baltimoreexaminer.com