Busch keeps on trucking

NASCAR's leader nets third Craftsman win, 17th overall

There's no stopping Kyle Busch.

Busch earned his third win in the Craftsman Truck Series by dominating the O'Reilly 200 Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.

The 23-year-old led the final 130 laps, endured four cautions and a red flag over the final 21 laps and finally iced the victory by holding off the field on a green-white-checker finish.

Busch extended his record for combined victories in NASCAR's three top series to 17. He also joined Mark Martin and Carl Edwards as the only drivers to win at the .533-mile banked oval in all three series.

Busch, driving a Toyota, took the lead for good on the 71st lap after a lengthy door-to-door battle with Jimmie Johnson. Todd Bodine finished second, followed by pole winner Scott Speed and Johnny Benson. The top four finishers were all driving Toyotas.

NEWMAN IN NO. 39: Turns out Ryan Newman won't be driving the No. 4 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing next year after all.

It will be the No. 39.

Stewart surprised Newman with the news Monday night during his show on satellite radio.

"That number was my first Silver Crown number, my first USAC midget win at [Indianapolis Raceway Park] ... so that's a very special number to me, and that's definitely cool."

Stewart, who will drive for his own team with the No. 14 used by boyhood hero A.J. Foyt, said he gave up on the No. 4 when it became clear that longtime car owner Larry McClure, whose team has used that number for years, might return to the Sprint Cup series next season.

ROTATING CREW CHIEFS: Gillett Evernham Motorsports will rotate its three NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chiefs on the team's No. 9 Nationwide Series entry for the remainder of this season.

Kenny Francis will serve as crew chief when Kasey Kahne drives the Nationwide car at Charlotte. Mike Shiplett will oversee Patrick Carpentier's races at Dover and Phoenix, and Rodney Childers will do the same with Elliott Sadler at Bristol, Richmond, and Kansas.

Kevin Kidd will serve as crew chief when Chase Miller races at California, Texas and Homestead and when Miller races the No. 19 at Charlotte.

A crew chief for Miller's Memphis race will be picked later.

SORENSON'S CREW CHIEF FINED: Donnie Wingo, crew chief for Sprint Cup driver Reed Sorenson, was fined $25,000 Wednesday by NASCAR for an improperly attached weight on the No. 41 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge. The violation was found by inspectors after Sunday's race at Michigan.

PENSKE INDYCARS DAMAGED: A Team Penske transporter, carrying the primary cars for Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe to Infineon Raceway for this week's IndyCar Series race, caught fire Wednesday on Interstate 80, west of Cheyenne, Wyo.

Team Penske will race at Infineon using the No. 6 Dallara-Honda that was used in an Aug. 14 test at that track, as well as a backup No. 3 already at the track.