{"id":491468,"date":"2026-02-22T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T06:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/491468\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T06:00:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T06:00:08","slug":"kyle-busch-makes-it-3-straight-truck-wins-at-echopark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/491468\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Busch makes it 3 straight truck wins at EchoPark"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kyle Busch added another chapter to his dominance in the Fr8 Racing 208 on Saturday afternoon at EchoPark Speedway<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates with daughter, Lennix Busch son, Brexton Busch and wife, Samantha Busch in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

A cloudy day that began with heavy rain in the morning ended with a race against the clock as Busch drove the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to victory in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the third consecutive year at EchoPark Speedway.<\/p>\n

It was Busch\u2019s 68th career Truck Series victory in 181 starts, and his first win of the 2026 Truck Series season.<\/p>\n

Persistent morning showers soaked the speedway and forced a delay to the start. With the O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series race to be held at 5 p.m., NASCAR established a hard stop time of 4:20 p.m. ET before the race began, adding urgency to make it to the finish.<\/p>\n

Corey Heim claimed Stage 1, leading Ben Rhodes and Busch to the green-and-white checkered flag. The defending series champion showed good speed in his No. 1 Tricon Garage Toyota, but the complexion of the race would soon change.<\/p>\n

With only two laps left in the second stage, Rhodes looked like he would cruise to the stage victory until his No. 99 ThorSport Ford ran out of fuel going into Turn 2. As Rhodes slowed from the lead and was forced to pit road, a charging pack of trucks swept past. Stewart Friesen edged Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the line to win the stage, with Carson Hocevar also in contention during the frantic run to the stage finish.<\/p>\n

Well \u2026 that was awesome. NASCAR. pic.twitter.com\/xN99W1NXdS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The first significant incident occurred on Lap 100 when Cole Butcher\u2019s No. 13 truck made contact with the outside wall. Dawson Sutton, attempting to avoid the accident, spun up the racetrack and hit the wall head-on along the frontstretch, bringing out a caution and tightening the field once again with the clock continuing to click down towards 4:20 p.m.<\/p>\n

As the laps wound down and the cutoff time approached, Busch sliced his way back to the front of the pack with assistance from his Spire Motorsports teammate. Hocevar, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet, provided critical support in the closing laps, allowing Busch to maintain control of the lead en-route to a one-two finish for the organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuge help from behind,\u201d Kyle Busch said following the victory. \u201cCarson Hocevar was a great teammate today\u2014early on in the race I was like, \u2018wait a second, same ol\u2019 Carson,\u2019 but when it got towards the end we started working together and we started being able to maneuver our way through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Delaware Life Chevrolet, congratulates Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Hocevar joined Busch on the front straightaway to celebrate the team victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it would be a good picture, good for the marketing team,\u201d Hocevar said after the race. \u201cI kept sputtering and the bottom kept surging, and I had no shot to win the race, so if I wasn\u2019t going to have a shot, I was going to make sure the company had a shot\u2014that was a business decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially a year from here when he was hating my guts in the Cup race, I don\u2019t think I would be excited to watch a Kyle Busch Truck win,\u201d Hocevar continued. \u201cBut we\u2019re teammates here. It worked out for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind Busch and Hocevar, Gio Ruggiero delivered one of the drives of the afternoon. After starting at the rear of the field because of unapproved adjustments, Ruggiero advanced through the pack to finish third in his No. 17 Tricon Garage Toyota.<\/p>\n

Rhodes recovered from his Stage 2 setback to finish fourth on his 29th birthday, salvaging a strong result after the fuel issue. Heim rounded out the top five.<\/p>\n

With the result, Chandler Smith continues to lead the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series point standings by 28 points over Ruggiero.<\/p>\n

\"\"Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)
\nRace Results<\/p>\n

Fin
\nStr
\nNo.
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nLaps Led
\nLaps
\nStatus<\/p>\n

1
\n3
\n7
\nKyle Busch(i)
\nHendrickCars.com Chevrolet
\n37
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

2
\n18
\n77
\nCarson Hocevar(i)
\nDelaware Life Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

3
\n10
\n17
\nGiovanni Ruggiero
\nFirst Auto Group Toyota
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

4
\n2
\n99
\nBen Rhodes
\nCampers Inn RV Ford
\n70
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

5
\n20
\n1
\nCorey Heim
\nRobinhood Toyota
\n6
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

6
\n22
\n38
\nChandler Smith
\nQuickTie Ford
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

7
\n1
\n98
\nJake Garcia
\nQuanta Services\/Curb Records Ford
\n2
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

8
\n12
\n62
\nJohn Hunter Nemechek(i)
\nHalmar International Toyota
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

9
\n5
\n45
\nRicky Stenhouse Jr(i)
\nJ.F. Electric\/Utilitra Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

10
\n25
\n16
\nJustin Haley
\nRAM RAM
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

11
\n26
\n25
\nTy Dillon(i)
\nRAM RAM
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

12
\n8
\n5
\nAdam Andretti
\nTopLiner Toyota
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

13
\n30
\n10
\nDaniel Dye
\nMopar RAM
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

14
\n4
\n18
\nTyler Ankrum
\nLiUNA! Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

15
\n9
\n44
\nAndres Perez De Lara
\nAcceptance Insurance Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

16
\n28
\n12
\nBrenden Queen #
\nCummins RAM
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

17
\n27
\n42
\nTyler Reif
\nPrecision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

18
\n21
\n81
\nKris Wright
\nF.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet
\n0
\n125
\nRunning<\/p>\n

19
\n29
\n14
\nMini Tyrrell #
\nRAM RAM
\n0
\n124
\nRunning<\/p>\n

20
\n16
\n52
\nStewart Friesen
\nHalmar International Toyota
\n10
\n124
\nRunning<\/p>\n

21
\n11
\n11
\nKaden Honeycutt
\nSafelite Toyota
\n0
\n123
\nRunning<\/p>\n

22
\n14
\n9
\nGrant Enfinger
\nGrant County Mulch Chevrolet
\n0
\n123
\nRunning<\/p>\n

23
\n33
\n2
\nClayton Green
\nGuardian Lifts Ford
\n0
\n123
\nRunning<\/p>\n

24
\n31
\n22
\nJosh Reaume
\nAerial Titans Ford
\n0
\n123
\nRunning<\/p>\n

25
\n32
\n33
\nFrankie Muniz
\nAerial Titans Ford
\n0
\n123
\nRunning<\/p>\n

26
\n24
\n76
\nSpencer Boyd
\nInterstate Classic Cars Chevrolet
\n0
\n120
\nRunning<\/p>\n

27
\n19
\n34
\nLayne Riggs
\nBKB Bare Knuckle Boxing Ford
\n0
\n119
\nRunning<\/p>\n

28
\n7
\n88
\nTy Majeski
\nSlim Jim\/Menards Ford
\n0
\n119
\nRunning<\/p>\n

29
\n34
\n69
\nTyler Tomassi
\nTomassi Law Ford
\n0
\n119
\nRunning<\/p>\n

30
\n17
\n15
\nTanner Gray
\nFactory Canopies Toyota
\n0
\n116
\nRunning<\/p>\n

31
\n6
\n13
\nCole Butcher #
\nAtlantic Tilt Load Ford
\n0
\n100
\nAccident<\/p>\n

32
\n23
\n26
\nDawson Sutton
\nWAR Shocks\/Rackley Roofing Chevrolet
\n0
\n100
\nAccident<\/p>\n

33
\n36
\n93
\nCaleb Costner
\nAUTOBANK RV Sales & Service Chevrolet
\n0
\n99
\nHandling<\/p>\n

34
\n13
\n19
\nDaniel Hemric
\nNAPA Auto Care Chevrolet
\n0
\n88
\nSuspension<\/p>\n

35
\n35
\n90
\nJustin Carroll
\nCarroll\u2019s Automotive Toyota
\n0
\n65
\nRear Gear<\/p>\n

36
\n15
\n91
\nChristian Eckes
\nNAPA Nightvision Chevrolet
\n0
\n2
\nTransmission<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:\u00a0 131.027 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:\u00a0 1 Hrs, 28 Mins, 9 Secs. Margin of Victory:\u00a0 0.114 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:\u00a0 3 for 18 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:\u00a0 14 among 5 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:\u00a0\u00a0 B. Rhodes 1-35;K. Busch(i) 36;B. Rhodes 37;C. Heim 38;K. Busch(i) 39;C. Heim 40-44;B. Rhodes 45-78;S. Friesen 79-86;J. Garcia 87;S. Friesen 88;J. Garcia 89;K. Busch(i) 90-117;S. Friesen 118;K. Busch(i) 119-125.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):\u00a0 Ben Rhodes 3 times for 70 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 4 times for 37 laps; Stewart Friesen 3 times for 10 laps; Corey Heim 2 times for 6 laps; Jake Garcia 2 times for 2 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 1,99,7,77,88,52,44,11,19,17<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 52,45,77,38,7,17,98,44,1,34<\/p>\n

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