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Kyle Busch was one of the many NASCAR Cup Series drivers pulling double duty at COTA. Busch participated in the XPEL 225 Truck Series race, finishing second behind reigning champion Zane Smith.
Although he took home a second-place finish, the veteran driver also suffered blisters on his hand. During the race, Busch radioed the team, mentioning the blisters. After taking the checkered flag, he mentioned in an interview the state of his hands as he comically said:
"My hands are too soft and girly, for the Cup car shifters that it’s not good for the H pattern anymore."
Busch admitted that the H-shifter used in the Trucks caused a blister on his right hand. While the 37-year-old endured a tough race on Saturday, he expects the Cup Series race to be easy on his hands. With this remark, he threw shade at the sequential shifters used in Cup cars.
The next-gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series use a sequential shifter while NASCAR's other national series uses the H-shifter. The sequential shifter was introduced when the next-gen cars debuted in 2022.
Reigning NASCAR Truck Series champion takes the checkered flag at COTA
Reigning NASCAR Truck Series champion Zane Smith won the XPEL 225, holding off the resurgent Kyle Busch. Smith took his second consecutive victory at COTA and his ninth career win. Kyle Busch was on course for victory until he lost the lead after the second stage.
Soon after Busch won the second stage, his pit strategy was affected by an untimely caution caused by Parker Kligerman's stalled truck. Several contenders pitted when the pit road was open, while Busch was unable to do so. He had to wait until the pit road opened under caution to make his pit stop. When Busch rejoined, he lined up 17th while Smith took the lead.
Although Busch gained 15 positions in two laps, moving to second place with six laps left, Smith was out of his reach. He finished 5.451 seconds behind the winner. Ty Majeski finished third, Tyler Ankrum finished fourth, and pole-sitter Ross Chastain rounded off the top five.
Zane Smith celebrated his victory with a burnout on the front stretch when the mud flaps on his #38 Ford caught fire. The rear end of the truck caught fire before safety workers extinguished the flames.
The #38 driver said in a post-race interview:
"Besides catching on fire in Victory Lane – that’s a first for me. Man, that’s a bummer right there. Shoutout to my team for an amazing strategy that worked out with that caution. Putting Kyle back (in the field) and us starting on the front row was just perfect. This truck was fast when it mattered. I enjoy coming to all the road courses and especially here."
The 23-year-old apologized for his celebrations, calling it one of the most 'hectic victory lane celebrations'.
