NASCAR: Kyle Busch bounty has another new challenger
By Asher Fair
Erik Jones is also set to challenge Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Truck Series for the $100,000 bounty set by Kevin Harvick and Marcus Lemonis.
“It’s not gonna happen. It’s not gonna happen,” said Kyle Busch when asked whether anybody would capitalize on the opportunity set before them when Kevin Harvick placed a $50,000 bounty on Busch for any full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver who could beat him in any of his four remaining Truck Series starts this season.
This bounty came about after Busch dominated the Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, giving him seven consecutive victories in the series going back to July of 2018.
Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of Truck Series title sponsor Gander RV & Outdoors, then added $50,000 to Harvick’s bounty, giving it a grand value of $100,000.
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Two drivers committed to giving it a shot last week, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson landing rides with GMS Racing. Elliott is set to drive the #24 Chevrolet in the races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway on Saturday, March 14 and Friday, May 30 while Larson is set to drive the same truck in the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, March 20.
Now there is a third taker. Erik Jones, who previously drove for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series and won the championship in his lone full season with the team back in 2015, is set to challenge Busch for this $100,000 as well.
Former NASCAR team owners Billy Ballew and James Finch have come together to run a truck for the 23-year-old Byron, Michigan native, who is one of Busch’s three teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing.
It has not been confirmed where Jones will compete, but it could be worth noting that Busch’s other scheduled Truck Series start this season is on the calendar for Friday, March 27 at Texas Motor Speedway.
This will be pretty fun, these guys are racers to the core, can’t wait for it! https://t.co/gpbN2FeYSw
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) March 3, 2020
If Jones can beat Busch, which may not necessarily require him to win the race, he will win the money, provided he is the highest finishing full-time Cup Series driver and does not get beat by Elliott, Larson or any other potential takers.
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It is worth nothing, however, that beating Kyle Busch usually means winning when it comes to the NASCAR Truck Series. He has won seven races in a row and has finished in the top two in his last 10 starts.