Kyle Busch Sweeps Texas, Ties Nationwide Series Record (Updated)

For the second time this year, Kyle Busch dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota Camry.

The domination was apparent from the beginning—Busch even managed to break his own record for most laps led (147) in an NNS race at the track back in 2004.

In the Spring, Busch led 126 out of 200 laps in garnering his first Nationwide win of this year. 

By winning the Fall race, he became the first driver to sweep both events at the track in one season, leading 174 of the 200 laps in an even more dominating fashion.

With this victory, the 23-year-old Busch also achieved three more major milestones. 

First, he won his 21st race in the Busch/Nationwide Series, tying him for tenth on the all-time win list in the series with Harry Gant and Dale Earnhardt.

Second, the Vegas native found Victory Lane for the 21st time this year across all three series, further separating his season total from the previous record of 14 set by Kevin Harvick in 2006.

Busch has now won a series-high eight races in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series, a series-high ten times in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and three times in the Craftsman Truck Series.

And third, with this his 10th win in the Nationwide series, Busch tied Sam Ard's record for most wins in the series in a year—a record set back in 1983, before Busch was even born. 

Moreover, Busch tied Ard's record in only his 27th start in the series this year. Ard racked up his 10 victories in 35 starts, winning five of the last six races of the year to do so.

With two races left in the Nationwide series this year, Busch is poised to break Ard's record. Busch is not only the defending race winner at Phoenix from last year's Fall race, but he also won there earlier this year as well.

Busch's record in the Nationwide Series is not as extensive or impressive at Homestead where he has run only twice. He finished third in 2004 and 41st after crashing in 2006.

Moments after the race, Busch announced from Victory Lane that he would be donating $100,000 to help Ard with his healthcare costs.

Ard, a two-time series champion (1983-84), suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is experiencing financial difficulties because of his illness.

"Sam Ard is one of the pioneers of this sport and one of the guys who built this deal," Busch said.

"To be tied with him in 10 wins, that's pretty spectacular and really special to me...I told myself during this race that he had health issues, so I am going to go ahead and give him $100,000."

"I am going to try and help him out some and see what I can do. It's not much, but it's something that can try to help him and everything he's going through...Hopefully that'll help put a smile on his face."

UPDATED (Nov. 3, 2008): I'm not even going to try to rewrite an excellent AP article on what Kyle Busch's donation is going to do for the Ard family.

NASCAR.com picked up the story and it is both heart-wrenching and (thanks to people like Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and now Kyle Busch) uplifting at the same time.

Ards can't put price on Busch $100,000 donation