Kyle “Rowdy” Busch piloting the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra overcame a series of mishaps and miscues Friday, May 15, 2009 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway to finish second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

Qualifying for the NC Education Lottery 200 was canceled when rain fell after over half the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers had taken their qualifying lap setting the field by the 2009 NASCAR Truck Series Owner points placing Busch at the point position for the start of the 134-lap on the 1.5-mile speedway.

Busch reported in that the truck was tight dropping from the lead at the beginning of the event into the third place position but as the air pressure in the tires built up Busch noted the truck was getting freer as the race progressed.

Busch continued to battle for the top spot until the first caution flag fell on lap 25.  Busch came down pit road for four tires on his first stop on lap 26 and returned on lap 27 for fuel.  Busch returned to the track but was penalized after having too many pit crew members over the wall on the stop placing him at the tail end of the longest line for the restart.  Busch returned to top-off for fuel right before the restart.

Busch moved through the field to regain positions when a violent crash occurred on lap 34 sending him through the grass to avoid the incident.  The accident warranted a red flag to stop the race for cleanup.  Busch fearing fender damage got out of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra to survey the condition of the Tundra, since he did not touch the truck and was just observing he was not assessed a penalty by NASCAR.

Busch returned to pits for four tires on lap 35 and to clean the front splitter and pull out the right front fender from the incident, which was minimal damage.  He returned to pit road the following lap for fuel.

Busch restarted in the 16th-place position on lap 40 diving three-wide on the apron picking up four spots in one lap.  Busch continued his climb gaining nine spots in five laps.  By lap 51 Busch had moved into the fourth place position.  Busch had refueled when his penalty had occurred so the team was able to run an additional 10 laps further than the other competitors who were making green flag stops during a long race run.

Busch was battling on the outside of the track for the top spot when he let off the gas, causing his truck to veer to the left clipping the then leader, which turned another competitor on lap 87.  Busch had the lead but was penalized for aggressive driving moving him to the end of the lead lap trucks in the 11th-place position.

Busch again had to battle through the lapped traffic moving to point position but was out motored by the No. 33 truck and settled for a second place finish in the NC Education Lottery 200 NCWTS race.

“Frustrating night overall and that’s how you can really put it. I don’t know what that first pit stop was all about. I don’t know why we had too many guys over (the wall) – just miscommunication or what. For some reason, I rolled out of the gas down the backstretch to let those two decide who was going to get into turn three first and I veered to the left and got into the quarter panel and wrecked the 6 (Colin Braun) and 16 (Brian Scott).  It was my fault so we will have to let that one roll off our shoulders and try to go on and move into the next one.”

“I was babying it a little bit because I knew he (Ron Hornaday) was kind of further back there and just trying to bide my time and not trying to wreck anybody else or myself,” Busch said. “Unfortunately he just blew right up through there. I have to watch the tape to see how fast he came, but he came so fast that I didn’t even know he was behind me. I wasted a little bit of time with (Matt) Crafton there, but not a whole lot that would have held up our performance any. (Ron) Hornaday just took it – he was gone.”

Billy Ballew maintained the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Points lead after the sixth race of the 25-race series season.

Dover International Speedway will host the next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event, Friday, May 29th, 2009.  Busch will be back piloting in the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort Tundra.