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Kyle Busch wins at Fontana

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Kyle Busch cruised to victory at the Pala Casino 400 on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Busch finished 2.998-seconds ahead of runner up Chase Elliott for his 61st NASCAR Cup Series career victory and in the process set a Cup Series record with at least one race win for a 19th straight season, breaking a tie with Richard Petty. His 61 Cup Series race wins are the most among active drivers and ninth all-time. During the off-season Busch signed with Richard Childress Racing after 15-seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing and Sunday was his first win with the new squad.

“I can’t thank Richard and Judy (Childress) enough, Austin (Dillon) for calling me and getting me talking and getting me the opportunity to come over here to RCR,” said Busch. “The guys did a great job. (Crew chief) Randall (Burnett)—everybody that worked so hard in the offseason. We did a lot of sim stuff, a lot of testing in general, just trying to get up to speed.” 

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: A general view of racing during the NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway on February 26, 2023 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)v
FONTANA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 26: A general view of racing during the NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway on February 26, 2023 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Brad Chastain led a race high 91-laps and finished third ahead of his Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez, and Kevin Harvick rounded-out the Top 5 on Sunday.

Sunday was the last race at California Speedway under its current two-mile set up. The SoCal racetrack will be reconfigured to a half-mile oval, but the timeline for the project has not been determined, and according to AutoClub Speedway president Dave Allen it will not host a race in 2024.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week.

Sergio Perez of Oracle Red Bull Racing
BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – FEBRUARY 23: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage during day one of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 23, 2023 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

News & Notes

Formula 1 closed out its preseason testing at the Bahrain International Circuit over the weekend with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez turning the fastest lap of the three-day test with a 1:30.305 jaunt. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso ran the most laps (270 laps totaling 1,461 km), and Alpha Tauri led all teams with 456 laps totaling 2,467 km. With preseason season testing wrapped up the 2023 F1 season starts this Sunday with the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The entry list for the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans has been revealed and the 62 cars invited to the 100th anniversary of the iconic endurance race comprise a lineup of 16 Hypercars, 24 LMP2s, 21 LMGTE Am cars, and one Innovative Car. The full list is available HERE.

Ferrari is returning to the top tier at Le Mans for the first time in 50-years and will join Porsche, Peugeot, Cadillac, Vanwall, Glickenhaus and Toyota in the Hypercar class. Toyota Gazoo Racing dominated the Hypercar class in 2022 with first and second place finishes, and in 2023 its looking for its sixth-straight win in the 24 of Hours Le Mans’ top class.

Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (Image courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports)

NASCAR is returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Garage 56’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 racing as an Innovative Car outside of official classification. The Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is being entered by Hendrick Motorsports and was developed by a collaboration with NASCAR, Chevrolet, Goodyear, and IMSA. It’s NASCAR’s first foray at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1976 and the Garage 56 Camaro will be driven by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, ex-F1 driver Jenson Button, and 2010 Le Man’s winner Mike Rockenfeller. The 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled for June 10th.

David P. Castro
David P. Castro
The Santa Rosa, California native is an experienced automotive and motorsports writer with a passion for American muscle cars. He is a credentialed automotive, NASCAR, and IndyCar reporter that graduated from the University of Nevada. A devoted F1 and NASCAR fan, he currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife, son, Siberian Husky, Mini Cooper, and 1977 Chevrolet C10.

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