If there are any drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series looking forward to the calendar turning from June to July, Kyle Busch would top the list.
After a stellar May, during which he recorded four top-five finishes in four races, the driver of the No. 18 Interstate All Battery Center Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) found little good fortune during the five Sprint Cup races contested during June.
The No. 18 team suffered from engine issues at the first three June events, at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, leading to disappointing finishes of 29th, 30th, and 32nd, respectively. Two weekends ago, on the road course at Sonoma, Calif., Busch suffered damage from incidental contact not of his doing and came home 17th. Last weekend at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Busch looked as if he might have shaken the bad luck to finish the month when he led a race-high 118 of the opening 211 laps. But a broken shock mount required lengthy pit stops for repairs under caution, and he and the No. 18 team had to rally for a 10th-place finish that betrayed their domination.
Busch and the No. 18 Interstate All Battery Center team are hoping their fortunes improve in July as they open the month Saturday night at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with the traditional midsummer Coke Zero 400.
Busch & Company will roll into Daytona with a different look gracing the No. 18 Toyota this weekend – the metallic and reflective green-and-gold scheme for Interstate All Battery Center stores. The Interstate All Battery Center colors this weekend come as the company continues its franchise expansion throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Recognized as a top-50 franchisor by Franchise Business Review, All Battery Center stores provide “Every Battery for Every Need,” with more than 16,000 portal power solutions.
Busch hopes the change of colors results in a much-needed change in luck to start July. He is no stranger to victory lane in the Coke Zero 400, winning the July 2008 race behind the wheel of the Interstate Batteries Toyota.
Most recently, Busch put on a spectacular performance Feb. 18 at Daytona en route to winning the Budweiser Shootout. Las Vegas native Busch passed three-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart coming to the finish line on the final lap to claim his first career victory in the non-points event. Busch won by .013 of a second, the closest finish in Budweiser Shootout history. It was incredible that Busch was even in position to win since, earlier in the race, he saved himself from a pair of major collisions by displaying phenomenal driving skill.
With all of that in mind, Busch heads back to Daytona this weekend sporting different colors and hoping for some much better luck. He would like nothing more than to start July in the best way possible – bringing the Interstate All Battery Centers green-and-gold paint scheme to victory lane Saturday night.
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