Busch wins in Atlanta with a close finish over Friesen

Kyle Busch secured another victory in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, edging out Stewart Friesen by 0.017 seconds in the Fr8 Racing 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With this result, the Spire Motorsports driver claimed his eighth win at this oval, extending his record in the series at this track.

Close finish in the final meters

Busch led 80 of the 135 laps, but in the closing stages, he had to fend off attacks from multiple competitors. Friesen put up the strongest challenge, staying close until the final stretch. Less than 20 yards from the finish line, the No. 7 Chevrolet held its ground, crossing the line alongside the No. 52 Toyota in one of the closest finishes of the season.

After the race, Busch emphasized the importance of maintaining his position in the final laps. “I knew I had to position myself well to control the race. The inside line was working, and that allowed us to stay competitive,” he said.

Friesen, meanwhile, regretted coming so close to victory. “I thought I could put more pressure on Busch in the final corner, but the momentum came at the wrong time,” explained the Canadian, who finished second by a narrow margin.

Tight positions behind the leaders

Tyler Ankrum and Bayley Currey also crossed the line almost simultaneously, separated by just 0.001 seconds. Chandler Smith completed the top five after leading at two different points in the race.

The race saw 19 lead changes among 11 drivers, with only two caution flags outside of the scheduled stage breaks, allowing for a smooth flow.

Problems for Heim and Mosack

Corey Heim, who was running at the front of the pack, ran out of fuel while in third place before the end of the second stage. He lost three laps and finished in 23rd place.

Connor Mosack, who had secured the pole and led 30 laps, was taken out of contention after a late-race incident, finishing 25th. His strong performance in the first half of the race did not translate into a favorable result.

Next race

Jack Wood won the first stage, while Busch secured the second. Giovanni Ruggiero was the best-placed rookie, finishing 11th, and Tanner Gray earned an additional point for the fastest lap.

Grant Enfinger, who finished tenth in this race, took the lead in the overall standings by a single point over Ty Majeski. The next event is scheduled for March 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.