The Busch Series will be running it’s last race this weekend and I’m for one going to miss it. Yes. It will still be around, but with a totally different name. Just like the Winston Cup I still remember all the great times in Winston Cup and the Busch Series.

Just as time goes by and things change we lose things that have molded us as adults. I will remember the Busch Series with great fondness for it has brought me many thrilling highlights that would never fit in these pages. So long Busch Series you maybe gone but not forgotten.

Kevin Harvick took the Busch Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, but it was Carl Edwards 11th place finish that gave him the Busch series Championship. Edwards had built a 800 point lead early in the season so it was really over fairly quickly for most of the drivers in the Busch Series. Edwards was glad to get it over with and finally celebrate a championship even though it was only a Busch Championship.

 After some bad press Edwards was happy to have some good press for awhile. Edwards replaces Harvick as the Busch Series champion. With new changes coming on the horizon it could be that last time we see a Nextel Cup a Busch Series champion.

With Nationwide taking over the Busch Series changes are being proposed that could take effect in 2009, but nothing has been decided. One change was to award cup drivers no points for driving in the Nationwide Series who are 35th or hire in the nextel Cup points. Right now cup teams use the Busch Series to test things out thus depriving drivers of getting a chance to race in the series.

Other changes they are talking about are body style changes and engine changes. Also being mentioned is bringing in the brands Mustang and Camaro. This is all meant to just make the Nationwide Series stand alone and not to have to lean on the Nextel Cup so much.

The National Stock Car Racing Commission on Wednesday overturned a penalty on Kyle Busch that was imposed by Nascar in the Busch Series at Kansas a race in which Kyle Busch won. This was a blow to Nascar as rarely do they ever overturn a penalty.

Busch and Rick Hendrick won their appeal which means a lot to them and their crew chief who was fined 10,000 dollars for having a manifold that did not pass inspection. By overturning the decision I think more teams may turn to this commission when things like this happen and they did nothing wrong.  Even though this may seem small it’s actually real big.

Jeff Burton won his fourth race of the year as he started at the back because of an engine change and made his way through the field with the help of some timely cautions. Burton is proof you don’t have to start up front to win races.

Much of the night though Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle swapped the lead back and forth behind accidents cost them any chance of a win. Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr finished second and third well behind Burton though.

According to various sources Wednesday the announcement of Nationwide as the new coporate sponsor of the Nascar Busch Series will happen. Subway restaurants was in the running until Nationwide came in. I would rather had subway as it’s about time we get a food sponsor. I don’t know if anyone has noticed this, but Nascar has gotten away from people’s vices and become more mainstream.

First they cigarette companies were dropped now the Beer sponsors are almost gone from main sponsorship. Hmmm I wonder what could be next in Nascar’s line of promotion. I guess we will have to wait and see what they come up with. I’m sure it will be very interesting.  maybe a Nascar Senior Circuit. Hey, you never know.

If there was one thing that makes an ailing race car driver feel better it’s holding up the trophy. That’s exactly what Denny Hamlin did.  Feeling week and needing intravenous fluids before the race started Hamlin gutted it out to grab his third Busch win at the Monster Mile.

Hamlin couldn’t wait to get out of the race car as he was feeling ill all day long. Winning of course helps cure what ails you. Hamlin said he will be okay for the Cup race and will go full throttle. Does Hamlin know any other way of going anyways?

The Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series for the last few years have really taken a back seat to Nextel Cup racing. now I can understand the reasoning behind it but does it make good business sense. The Craftsman Truck Series started out with a bang, but you really never see much written or even talked about it anymore.

What Craftsman Truck Series drivers have you hear of. Do these names ring a bell:

1.  Ron Hornaday
2. Mike Skinner
3. Todd Bodine
4. Ted Musgrave
5. Mike Bliss
6. Johnny Benson

All of these drivers at one time had or drove Cup rides. The press for the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series just isn’t very good. The Busch Series is another whole story. Yes, Busch Series get more press than the trucks for one reason almost half of the cup regulars jump down to the Busch Series on a weekly basis. This hurts many Busch Series drivers as they never make the field. In my opinion something needs to be done about that.

Until they do getting quality drivers In Nextel Cup will get tougher. If you can race than how do you get better. Just makes sense.

The officials at Kentucky Speedway were up in Loudon this weekend looking maybe to buy it and move that Nextel Cup race to the Kentucky Speedway. Right now the Kentucky Speedway only has a Busch Race which was sold out and had over 70,000 people attending. This was more than the Califorina Nextel Cup Race had.

Right now Kentucky Speedway only has a Busch Race and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Even though an anti-trust lawsuit is still to be decided it looks like Kentucky Speedway isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Kyle Busch led the way four times and in dominating fashion as he easily took the checkered flag in Richmond to add to his total Busch Series Wins. Even overtime laps couldn’t stop Busch from running away from the field.  When Busch did give up the lead to various caution laps or other reasons it was just a matter of time before he ran them down and took it back. Busch by far had the strongest car in the Busch race.

Carl Edwards finished second and really was the only one who had a chance to catch Busch at the end, but battling with Ryan Newman for second took it’s tool and Edwards finished second and newman third. Matt Kenseth battled back for fourth and Mike Bliss was fifth.