News-Record.com

JOLIET, Ill. — Saturday night's Hollywoodesque finish made it easy to overlook the significance of Kyle Busch's victory.

Busch learned he can't give up — even after he did just that. While the 23-year-old's youthful desire saved him, his attitude nearly cost him the race.

Busch, no doubt, will face obstacles in the 17 races that remain, including the 10 in the title chase. How well he handles those will matter more than horsepower and handling.

He needs such lessons as Saturday's because three drivers showed they're capable of challenging Busch for the title, including the two-time defending series champ Busch dusted for his seventh Cup win of the season.

Although Busch led 165 of the 267 laps, he showed signs of weakness.

Jimmie Johnson ran down, ran by and began to run away from Busch with 17 laps to go, heading toward his second win of the year.

"Race over," Busch said in a voice void of feeling over his radio.

His crew chief reminded Busch that anything could happen. Busch didn't believe him, noting how Johnson is nearly invincible late in the race.

Just about.

Only four times in Johnson's career before Saturday had he lost a race when he led in the final 10 laps.

Busch seemed content to watch Johnson celebrate another win.

That changed when David Gilliland's blown engine created a caution, bunched the field and gave Busch one more chance.

All that was missing from this scene was the dramatic background music.

His spotter's salty language urging him on like a jockey whips a horse down the stretch, Busch refocused.

A week ago, Busch led on the final restart, dictating a slow pace that helped him win at Daytona. This time, Johnson played the same trick with Busch second.

The leader slows as the field comes to the green flag, waiting for when the car behind gets on its rear bumper and then brakes. That's when the lead car accelerates, often building a quick lead.

Busch didn't play along. When Busch's front bumper hit Johnson's rear bumper, Busch hit the gas.

"Whether he was going to go or wasn't going to go, it was going to be a whale of a restart," Busch said later.

Johnson also floored it.

Too late.

Busch had the momentum, darted to the high line and ran beside Johnson for half a lap before nosing ahead through turn 3. Johnson was done.

Minutes later, the pained look on Johnson's face revealed more than his words could.

This, though, isn't an ending.

There will be other chances for Johnson and company. Five of the 10 races in the Chase are on 1.5-mile tracks similar to Chicagoland Speedway.

Johnson, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth showed Saturday that they can be as good as Busch on these tracks.

That Johnson passed Busch late in the race proved that Busch could be beatable on these tracks.

Had problems not derailed Edwards and Kenseth, the finish could have been different.

Edwards, who has won twice on 1.5-mile speedways, passed Busch for the lead on lap 203 but thought he had a flat tire and pitted about 10 laps later. He lost a lap with the stop and also suffered a broken splitter. He finished 32nd.

Kenseth ran side-by-side with Busch for the lead for about five laps early in the race, but a flat tire soon after forced him to relinquish the lead. He fell to 37th but rallied to place seventh.

Busch did not let this victory cloud his perception. He knows there are challengers and that the pressure is on his team to improve.

"We weren't the best car out there, especially during some runs," Busch said.

"We have to make our car &ellipses; mo' better, I guess, to be able to go out there and compete and try to lead more and win."

It was a sign of maturity for a driver who is evolving in front of us.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com