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Kyle Busch Dominates 1st-Ever Xfinity Series Race at the Circuit of the Americas

Leading 38 of the race’s 46 laps, Kyle Busch put on a dominating performance to score his 98th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win Saturday, May 22 at Circuit of the Americas.

Busch, who won the pole in qualifying, regained the lead after the stage two pit stops and never looked back. By claiming victory in the Pit Boss 250, Busch, the series all-time wins leader, has now won on 27 different Xfinity Series tracks.

With COTA being a new track added to the calendar for 2021, drivers didn’t really know what to expect. However, when the green flag dropped Busch took control.

Two drivers suffered issues early on, with Brandon Brown stalling on the pace lap and outside polesitter Ross Chastain going around in turn one on the second lap.

While Brown kept going, Chastain went to the garage with mechanical issues.  When Boris Said stalled on the backstretch on lap 10, the ensuing yellow set up a one-lap dash to end the stage. As A.J Allmendinger jumped out to a strong lead, behind Noah Gragson spun and earned a DNF from an apparent gearbox failure.

Allmendinger held on for his second stage win of the year with Tyler Reddick, Brandon Jones, Andy Lally, Jeremy Clements, Justin Allgaier, Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon, Austin Cindric and Miguel Paludo rounding out the stage points-paying positions.

After pit stops, Cindric moved into the lead on lap 18. The caution would come out for an incident between Kris Wright and Brandon Jones, but not before Busch took the lead back. With COTA being such a large track at 3.04 miles in length, many drivers suffered issues that didn’t require a full course yellow.

Within two laps Riley Herbst spun, and Paludo suffered the same gearbox issue as his teammate Gragson.

Busch and the rest of the leaders came into the pits before stage end, giving the stage two win to Kaulig Racing’s Justin Haley. Michael Annett, Jade Buford, Dillon, Busch, Clements, Allgaier, Colby Howard, Harvick and Allmendinger completed the top ten.

The third stage went caution-free to the end, with minor incidents involving Timmy Hill, Wright, Herbst and Snider. However, in the end, nobody had anything for Kyle Busch who marched to a nine-second victory over Allmendinger in second.

Justin Allgaier, Kevin Harvick and Austin Cindric rounded out the top five, with Harrison Burton, Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick, Jeb Burton and Justin Haley filling out the rest of the top ten.

‘I gotta give a huge shoutout to all the CNC as well as the carbon guys, they really helped me get comfortable in the car again,” Busch said in victory lane. “A little bit of 2015 (leg injury) started to flare up, but being able to control that and being able to come out today with an amazing car to drive, big thanks to all the guys.”

Xfinity Results from COTA

Next up for the Xfinity Series is the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Saturday, May 29 at 1 p.m. ET, with the defending winner being Kyle Busch.

Alex has been writing in the motorsport world since he was 19. Starting his career with the NASCAR Pinty's Series, Alex's work has been featured in Inside Track Magazine, TSN & NBC Sports as well as countless race programs.

Alex has also worked within the junior hockey world in Canada, appearing as a desk host for the OHL's Barrie Colts. He also got the opportunity to cover the 2018 Chevy Silverado 250 which appeared as the headlining article on NASCAR.com.

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