March 4, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Kyle Busch is looking for revenge in Friday's truck race at Las Vegas

John Hunter Nemechek took great pleasure in beating the boss—Kyle Busch—in the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2021. 

Nemechek led 94 of 134 laps and held off Busch by .686 seconds at the line for his first victory at the 1.5-mile track. 

Friday marks the rematch for the Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers in the Victoria's Voice Foundation 200 as “Rowdy” runs his first of five truck races this season and looks to score his fourth victory at his home track.

“Competing in the Camping World Truck Series in my own equipment is something I really enjoy doing,” Busch said. “As long as I’m allowed to race and my name is on the door, I’ll be running as many as I possibly can. I know everyone at KBM worked hard alongside the folks at Toyota and TRD on this new Tundra TRD Pro. It’s really sharp looking and I’m looking forward to hitting the track in Vegas for my first race with it.”

Busch will carry the JBL livery on the No. 51 Toyota. Crew chief Mardy Lindley will continue to call the shots for the team. But the spotlight will be on the driver, who leads the truck series with 61 career wins, a driver rating of 123.6 and an average finish of 6.6. In 160 CWTS starts, Busch's winning percentage is 38.1. He has  finished first or second in 56.9-percent of all races.

“Good numbers are good numbers and bad numbers are bad numbers,” Busch said. “It feels good. Obviously, it’s a testament to what we’re doing at KBM. How many of those slipped through our fingers and could’ve, would’ve, should’ve been wins? Obviously the goal every year is to go five for five like we were able to do in 2019. 

“Last year we came up a little bit short and were only able to get two wins and we finished second in the other three. The good thing for Kyle Busch the owner is the three that I didn’t win last year John Hunter (Nemechek) was able to get the win and keep the trophy at KBM, but Kyle Busch the driver doesn’t like finishing second so we are going to have to step our game up a little bit this year.

“Hopefully, this year some of those KBM one-two finishes that John Hunter and myself were able to achieve last year will now turn into one-two-three finishes this year -- with the 51 coming out on top, of course.”

When Busch was asked to assess Nemechek’s performance last season, the owner quipped he wished his 24-year-old driver raced the field as hard as he did the boss. In Nemechek’s defense, two of his five wins came when Busch was not behind the wheel of the KBM’s third entry.

“(Kyle) and I actually had a conversation about this a few weeks ago,” Nemechek said. “I don’t think there is any extra motivation. When you look at last year, we won three of the five races he was on and then all of the races that he wasn’t in we won two out of 18 of them. It’s a little bit different mindset I would say for us going into this year but looking forward in having the opportunity to race against Kyle (Busch). Anytime that you are able to race against him or any of the other Cup guys, you are always learning something. They always have a lot of knowledge, and they have a really big notebook that they can pull from different moves and information. 

“I think one of the best things is when he races, we are able to sit down and debrief after the race and I can pick his brain and he can pick my brain and figure out who was better where, what was different set-up wise in our trucks, what we both fought all night, looking at pit road statistics. There is a lot of different things we can look at and bounce off each other. You know you have a gauge when he comes down and runs. He’s going to maximize everything he possibly can.”

Nemechek has nine starts at Las Vegas. He led the first 33 laps in the fall race prior to his truck stalling twice—taking the driver of the No. 4 out of contention.

This weekend Nemechek will run double duty. Following Friday’s truck race, he’ll jump in the No.  26 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 Xfinity Series contest.

“I do think there will be some things that can transfer from lines and laps and how the track rubbers up,” Nemechek said. "Definitely, with cars on track this weekend, as far as the 20-minute practice deal and then qualifying and then the Truck race going into the Xfinity race, I think there is some value with that. I think just being out there on Friday night could definitely help for Saturday. I also think after only 20-minutes of practice and Truck qualifying, being able to go and practice the Xfinity car and qualify the Xfinity car right before the Truck race will definitely help me as well. 

“Vegas has been really good to me. I’ve been runner-up there I think once or twice in the Xfinity car, so I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel for Sam Hunt and everyone at Toyota this weekend.”