While the race featured several incidents – and the delayed arrival of several teams’ pit crew members – Busch eventually took command in the final stage and cruised to a 4.981-second win over reigning series champion Zane Smith at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Busch, whose Kyle Busch Motorsports team moved to the Chevrolet camp in the offseason, looked no worse for the change as led a race-high 84 of 134 laps.
The win is the first for Busch in his first start this season and extended his series record of victories to 63.
It’s great,” Busch said. “I just want to thank all the fans for coming out tonight. It’s a lot of fun to race in the Truck Series. It’s an honor to come out here with my own team and have some fun and just work on our stuff. They always make sure we have good stuff.
“Another great memory here in Vegas. Whole new group and still winning. It’s fun.”
Busch is competing in all three races this weekend at Las Vegas. “You got to win the first one to be able to win all three, right?” he said.
Ben Rhodes finished third, Corey Heim was fourth and Ty Majeski rounded out the top-five.
Completing the top-10 were Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Chase Purdy, Grant Enfinger and Jake Garcia.
Stage 3
Following the caution between Stages 2 and 3, several trucks elected to pit with Rhodes the first off pit road. Majeski had to restart from the rear of the field due to an uncontrolled tire on pit road.
The race returned to green on Lap 66 with Kaz Grala – who was among those who stayed out – as the leader. He was followed by Tanner Gray and Busch.
Busch powered around Grala on Lap 68 to return to the lead.
With 50 laps remaining, Busch had built a 3.7-second lead over Eckes as Heim ran in third.
By Lap 95, Rhodes had taken over the second position, trailing Busch by 5.5 seconds. Zane Smith had moved to third.
Hocevar was the first of the leaders to pit on Lap 100 to kick off a final round of green flag pit stops for tires and fuel to make it to the end of the race.
Grala had to serve a pass-through penalty after he was penalized for speeding on pit road during his stop. Rajah Caruth was flagged for improper fueling and had to serve a pass-through penalty.
Once the cycle of stops was completed on Lap 111, Busch returned to the lead and with a 6.8-second lead over Zane Smith while Rhodes ran third.
With 10 laps to go, Busch’s lead over Zane Smith hovered around 6 seconds.
Stage 2
Hocevar took the Stage 2 win under caution when several trucks, including John Hunter Nemechek and Hailie Deegan, wrecked on the final lap.
Following the caution between Stages 1 and 2, several trucks elected to pit with Zane Smith the first off pit road. Enfinger stayed out and inherited the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 37.
Hocevar got around Enfinger shortly after the restart to move into the lead for the first time.
Matt Mills spun off Turn 4 to bring out the third caution of the race just as Busch moved back into the lead.
On the restart on Lap 45, Busch was followed by Hocevar and Gray. Hocevar moved into the lead shortly after the restart.
Lawless Allan spun and wrecked in Turn 2 on Lap 48 to place the race back under caution. The race resumed on Lap 53 with Hocevar out front.
Kris Wright wrecked on Lap 54 to put the race back under caution. Several trucks elected to pit under the caution. Hocevar led the way on the restart on Lap 59.
Stage 1
Zane Smith held off a fast-approaching Majeski to claim the Stage 1 win.
DiBenedetto was third, Enfinger fourth and Caruth rounded out the top-five.
Busch started on the pole and led the first lap as Stewart Friesen was penalized for pulling out of line on the start and had to serve a pass-through penalty.
Nick Sanchez got around Busch on Lap 8 to take the lead for the first time. Daniel Dye was forced to pit under green for a flat tire.
Busch got back around Sanchez to reclaim the lead on Lap 12.
Bret Holmes cut a tire and hit the wall on Lap 19 to bring out the first caution of the race. Busch had to pit twice under the caution for a loose wheel. Nemechek had to restart from the rear of the field for speeding on pit road.
The race resumed on Lap 25 with Sanchez in the lead.
Zane Smith powered to the lead on Lap 26 as Sanchez hit the wall.