NASCAR Sprint Cup First Half Report 2010: Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch isn't tearing up the NASCAR Sprint Cup as he did in 2008 but he has learned to take what he has in the car and not overdrive to compensate. Busch had a 39th and 40th in two of the last three races, so coming in 6th at the halfway point of the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings is quite an accomplishment for Busch.

The Joe Gibbs Racing cars have been noticeably better with the rear deck lid spoiler instead of the awkward wing. Once the spoiler came back so did Joe Gibbs Racing with a vengeance. JGR won seven of the last 13 races with the new spoiler and should be in good shape heading into the second half of the 2010 NASCAR Cup season.

Kyle Busch Having Two Different NASCAR Seasons In One.

Kyle Buschis following the quote from the movie Talladega Nights by the book thus far in the 2010 NASCAR season. Kyle Busch should have the quote embedded on his dashboard, "If you're not first your last." Kyle Busch has managed to crash out of the lead or the top five in every imaginable way this season.

Kyle Buschhad a great May to get back into the top 10 in the NASCAR Cup standings, winning Richmond on the first of May and then winning Dover two weeks later. In between Kyle Busch's two wins, Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin won the Darlington race.

Does Kyle Busch Have Bad Luck or is He Too Aggressive?

Kyle Buschalways seems to have bad luck when leading, wrecking when he has a car that can win. Is it Kyle Busch's fault for putting himself in a bad spot or is he just having an awful run of luck? To be fair, it is a combination of both, Busch wrecked while leading the Daytona Coke Zero 400 when his car was sucked around while passing Juan Pablo Montoya.

On Speed TV Jeff Hammond said Kyle Busch is still too aggressive. "He is still aggressive and will need to learn to back off in some situations. Be patient and finish races."

8 Races to Go Until NASCAR Chase-Can Kyle Busch Fall Out of the Race to the Chase?

With eight races remaining until the NASCAR Chase begins, Kyle Busch can still gt knocked out of the top 12 with a few more finishes as bad as the last couple of weeks. Look for Kyle to push the pace but not take as many chances in the next few races.

Kyle Busch is strong at Bristol and Watkins Glen could be a wild card in the next eight races. Busch will need to lock up at least one win for the bonus points and to regain some confidence heading into the NASCAR Chase. David Rogers, Kyle Busch's crew chief appears to be working well with Kyle and this is definitely a challenge for any crew chief.

Kyle Busch Mid Season Report Card Grade C.

Kyle Buschshould be in second place if he doesn't make mistakes last week at Daytona and also Daytona in February. A grade of C may seem a little harsh for a driver that is sixth in the points and has two wins but Kyle Busch has set his bar high and this grade is on his curve. He has squandered plenty of chances in 2010 and the second half could surprise those that have written off Kyle Busch already.

Todd Jacobs is featured on many websites you may contact him through Suite 101, Associated Content or view his handicapping picks on www.lasvegasinsideinfo.com.