LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 15: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Hazelnut Toyota, races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Kyle Larson trolls Kyle Busch after he runs into a lap car during NASCAR race
Shane Walters
Kyle Busch blamed spotters on the incident with the lap car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
On Sunday, Kyle Busch went two laps down early in the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He took the wave around, several times and found himself back on the lead lap.
In stage 3, Kyle Busch moved to the outside lane, right against the wall. He was on the lead lap for the first time all day and charging through the field. He climbed inside the top 10 and was looking for more.
However, he hit a road block as he struggled to work lap traffic.
He approached Garrett Smithley who finished 12 laps down to the leader without a crash that caused him to go laps down. He was just in an underfunded car which rolls that slow.
Ahead of the approach, spotters communicated on the roof. Busch was informed that Smithley would run high. Busch entered the corner in the middle, locked the brakes and slid into Smithley.
Smithley radio: “He drove up on you. Didn’t know what he was gonna do.”
Busch ended up with heavy nose damage. The front splitter was bent upward, the downforce was gone and Busch was going backward.
Busch finished 19th. A brutal opening to his run in the 2019 NASCAR Playoffs.
After the race, he was hesitant to answer questions from reporters. When he finally spoke, he blamed spotter communications on the accident.