FAIRLAWN, Va. — The Superstar Racing Experience delivered a carnage-ridden race on Thursday night at Pulaski County Motorsports Park, but the door-to-door action kept fans on their feet for every green-flag lap.
In his first series start, Kyle Busch laid down a charge from sixth starting position, bumped a few drivers out of the way and kept several others at bay to score the victory.
He was only the fourth driver in SRX’s three-year history to win his debut race, as well as the second full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver to win a race this season. Denny Hamlin won the season opener at Stafford Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
In victory lane, Busch noted his last time visiting the .416-mile track in Pulaski County — formerly known as Motor Mile Speedway — was in 2008 when he tested a super late model.
How SRX Drivers Describe The Competition
“One word. A**holes,” Clint Bowyer said with a laugh. “It’s a good blend. You have Cup Series champions, current and retired, you’ve got IndyCar champions. Like Josef Newgarden, he just won the Indy 500, and I’m lining up next to him. I’m in way over my head.”
Bowyer is essentially fresh blood in the series, as he only recently made his debut during the first race of the season at Stafford. He finished third in the 12-car field.
Meanwhile, from full-time SRX driver Ryan Newman’s perspective, he leans toward labeling the series and competition as high-profile, short-track racing.
“You’ve got guys coming from different types of race cars, so you don’t know exactly what you’re going to be racing against. Guys that race hard, guys that are used to spotters — you just have to be very guarded in some situations,” Newman said.
While it can be a challenge with racers coming from various forms of motorsports, there are still a few highlights for the 18-time NASCAR Cup Series winner.
“Nobody complains about the air, dirty air and things like that. It’s just, go out there, run and have fun,” Newman said.
How does Ryan Newman describe SRX competition? “High profile, short track racing.” But the best part? “No one complains about dirty air.” pic.twitter.com/8asp2P5F8O
— SPEED SPORT (@SPEEDSPORT) July 28, 2023
As for fellow full-timer Bobby Labonte, there is one thing about the competition that has kept him on his toes since he joined the series during the inaugural season in 2021.
“It’s definitely aggressive,” Labonte said. “I wouldn’t have not thought that, but it’s definitely aggressive and I believe that’s what makes these things so fun.”
Stewart’s ‘Dad Talk’ Gone Wrong?
After the rough racing displayed by SRX drivers last week at Stafford Speedway, series co-owner Tony Stewart held a private meeting with the 12-car field on Thursday afternoon.
Bowyer described the conversation as a “butt-chewing” for the aggressive driving style, which left the FURY Race Cars crew — who services and works on the cars — with four clips to replace following Stafford.
However, by lap 92 at Pualski County, three cars were parked on pit road — Paul Tracy, Josef Newgarden and Ken Schrader were unable to finish the race. Several other cars also sustained major damage, including those driven by Marco Andretti and Hailie Deegan.
It appears there may be another talk in store for the drivers next Thursday night at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway, which is the next stop on the SRX tour.
‘Serious’ Racing For Newman & Labonte
After finishing second in the SRX championship last year, Newman is prepared for another title fight. It’s already shaping up to be a strong run for the 45-year-old, who has a second-place finish, a win and now a fifth-place result on his season’s résumé.
Though the series itself often puts the emphasis on entertainment, Newman takes on “Thursday Night Thunder” with an unyielding driver’s mindset.
“Definitely serious. Always serious. Always trying to win,” Newman said.
SRX racing was “definitely more aggressive” than Bobby Labonte originally expected. But according to him, that’s also what makes it fun. pic.twitter.com/YjQw855r3H
— SPEED SPORT (@SPEEDSPORT) July 28, 2023
For Labonte, who has finished third in the SRX standings the past two years, it’s a balance of having fun while also staying relevant in the championship chase throughout the six-week stretch.
“The past few years, we’ve been third in points, won a race in Nashville and finished top two or three in a lot of races. I really enjoy it,” Labonte said. “I run a modified some, so it’s not like I’m not doing anything, but it’s definitely fun to get out there and race these guys.”