8.5
Kyle Busch and TRD obviously made some gains this weekend. Still, something has to be said for the domination that Kyle unleashed on Sunday. I did not expect anyone to win all three stages of the Coke 600, at least not this early in the stage format's history. I could have seen it happening down the road, but not in just the second season of its implementation. Anyway, Toyota performed pretty well overall, aside from glaring miscues from #19 and #20 teams that continued to experience mixed results. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Jr., and Denny Hamlin showed the might of their Camrys.
There was some really quality racing behind Kyle, especially when it came to the battles for second place, or the battles for the last few top ten spots. Almost anyone could have placed in the top ten last night. Folks like Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne were entering the fray, people who have not experienced a lot of success this year were right in the mix last night.
Chevrolet, specifically Hendrick Motorsports, looks have to have turned a page in their research and development, as the Camaros were more prevalent last night than they have been all season long. Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman all showed increased pace and more confidence in their cars last night. Jimmie, as the commentators said, was able to be more aggressive than he has been all year long. My biggest applause has to go to Jamie McMurray. The guy has gotten the short end of the straw on many occasions this year, but he put on a thrilling show during the Coke 600. That drive of his was one of true grit and determination. It was fun to see him right up against the wall, screaming by his opponents like they were driving golf carts on several occasions. He badly needed a race like that to improve his reputation and, perhaps, give him a better chance at staying at Ganassi next season.
The dominance of Kyle Busch may have stunk up the show for some folks, but there are a lot of positives to take away from this race. It was a real thriller!