Kyle Busch made a bold move following a late caution period and made a big gain in position with the No. 15 Freedom Grill/KyleBusch.com Chevrolet. The big move allowed Busch to get up to contend for the victory for Billy Ballew Motorsports. A green, white, checkered finish enabled Busch to battle the leader for the win, but came up just a snitch short, finishing in second place in the Silverado 350.

“It was a good night for us,” said Busch following the race. “The Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet was strong. We were a little tight through the beginning and middle of the race, but we made some massive changes to try to turn it around and got it better for the end. I have to thank Freedom Grill that made this happen for us tonight, as well as KyleBusch.com. Billy (Ballew, owner), Richie (Wauters, crew chief) and all the guys did it again. They continue to give me a Chevy Silverado to battle up front. Hopefully, we can get the victory at Phoenix in our last race together this year.”

Busch started the Silverado 350 from the eighth position and when the first caution waved on lap two, Busch could already diagnose a tight condition on his No. 15 Freedom Grill/KyleBusch.com Chevy. Busch called for some changes he would like to make on their first pit stop. Busch maintained his eighth position until lap 45 when the second caution came out for debris on the track. Busch brought his machine down pit road to the attention of the No. 66 NEXTEL Cup team servicing the No. 15 entry. The crew made a trackbar and tire pressure adjustments, as well as filling up with fuel. The No. 15 got blocked in and was forced to back up after service, losing a few positions in the process.

Busch restarted in 11th place on lap 54 and by lap 60 was back up to eighth position. Busch was still complaining of a tight condition and radioed in to Wauters for some more changes. Even having to deal with the tightness, Busch was able to keep the No. 15 Freedom Grill/KyleBusch.com in eighth place until the fifth caution period where they would pit. On lap 93, Busch brought his Silverado down pit road where the team made more adjustments to free the truck. Even while putting on four tires, filling up with fuel and making several chassis adjustments, the crew was able to gain two spots on pit road, lining the No. 15 up in sixth place for the restart.

With 47 laps to go when they took the green, Busch knew now was the time to start making his move. And that’s what he did. Going into turn one, Busch overtook fifth and fourth positions and by the time the field came back around the frontstretch, Busch was sitting in second place, a gain of four spots in one lap. He slid back to third when the sixth caution waved. Busch radioed into crew chief Richie Wauters, “I should’ve told you to loosen it up earlier because now it’s going!” Obviously, the adjustments were finally to Busch’s liking and have put him in contention to battle for the win. He quickly got around the second place runner, but looked to have to settle for second as the leader had pulled away and the laps were ticking off.

A caution on lap 142 set up a green, white, checkered finish allowed Busch to get within reach of the leader and hopefully, pull off his outside groove pass that had allowed him to pick up the other positions on the last big restart. However, the No. 46 Chevy of Clint Bowyer was too strong and the No. 15 Freedom Grill/KyleBusch.com Chevrolet settled for a second place finish.

The second place effort moved Billy Ballew Motorsports up to 19th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Owners’ Standings as the series moves on to Phoenix International Raceway this coming Friday. Busch returns to the cockpit of the No. 15 for the Casino Arizona 150.