Kyle Busch steals trucks win; Buescher alleges ‘dirty’ tactics

LOUDON, N.H. -- Kyle Busch fears he'll have to fold his team next season if he can't find sponsorship.

At least he never has to worry about getting into Victory Lane.

Busch raced to his fifth trucks series victory of the season and 80th NASCAR win, passing James Buescher on the final restart Saturday at New Hampshire Motorspeedway.

If Kyle Busch Motorsports is a one-and-done deal, it will exit full of trophies and checkered flags.

"I can't thank the guys on this team enough. All they want to do is come out and win races," Busch said. "That's what we're doing."

Busch and Kevin Harvick battled for the lead most of the day, and it appeared either would drive away with the victory. Buescher, though, dipped below both of them with 10 laps left to take the lead. He held it until Ron Hornaday spun into the wall late, bringing out a caution.

That set up Buescher vs. Busch on the restart with two laps left. Busch nudged past Buescher, tagged the wall and sped ahead for the victory. Busch has 21 career truck wins.

"You have to do what you have to do in order to win the races coming down toward the end," Busch said. "On the last restart on a green-white checkered, you've got to go."

Buescher and Busch were clearly unhappy with each other. After the race, Busch pulled up to Buescher and extended his middle finger. Buescher called out Busch after he lost his shot at his first trucks win.

Buescher was angry at getting hit so late in the race.

"He just drove us dirty and got the win," Buescher said. "Being that close is one thing, but getting it taken away from you like that is a totally different thing. If you're faster, you're going to pass him. You don't have to race him so dirty and flat-out try to wreck you to try and get the lead, and that's what he did."

Buescher was second and Harvick, who had no problems with Busch's shot off Buescher, was third.

"I bounced off Kyle as much as he bounced off of anyone else," Harvick said. "It's not anything any of us wouldn't do to the other 10 times over again."

■ IRL -- At Motegi, Japan, pole-sitter Helio Castroneves of Brazil won the Indy Japan 300, ensuring the IndyCar series championship will come down to the final race of the year.

Castroneves, a Penske driver, took the lead for good on the 118th lap and held on for the final 82 laps to earn his third win this season. Defending series champion Dario Franchitti of Scotland was second, followed by points leader Will Power of Australia. Franchitti trails Power by 12 points heading into the season finale Oct. 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Ryan Briscoe was fourth and Danica Patrick, who won at Motegi in 2008 to became the first female winner in IndyCar history, was fifth.

■ NHRA -- At Concord, N.C., Cory McClenathan remained atop the Top Fuel field and secured his fifth No. 1 qualifying position of the season in the NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway.

McClenathan took the No. 1 qualifying position with his Friday night run of 3.831 seconds at 321.12 mph.

Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) led their divisions in the second of six events in the Countdown to the Championship.