Jimmie Johnson Expects Kyle Busch to Complete Track Bucket List

Kyle Busch, the driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, prepares to drive during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series I Love NY 355 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 5, 2017, in Watkins Glen, New York. Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Kyle Busch won last Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono to reduce his magic number to one, in terms of active Cup tracks where he hasn’t yet recorded a victory.

All that’s left for Busch is to win a points-paying event at Charlotte, where he has already won the non-points All-Star Race.

Other drivers have come close in recent years. Jeff Gordon retired with one hole in his résumé – Kentucky. Tony Stewart lacked Kentucky and Darlington when he hung up his Cup driving shoes.

“I’m so out of touch with stats that I felt like Jeff and Tony were the only guys kind of in that conversation,” said seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who is missing wins at Kentucky, Chicagoland and Watkins Glen, the venue for Sunday’s I Love New York 355. “And then last weekend I learned that Kyle is now down to one. And I’m like well, dang, there’s somebody else in the party here.

“And Kyle will get it. I can’t believe he hasn’t won at Charlotte already in a Cup car. It’s safe to say that Kyle is going to be the first one to close out all the tracks, I think, with the way he runs and how good he runs at that track. I still have here (Watkins Glen), Kentucky has been a  disaster for me, Chicago I should have closed a long time ago. I think Kyle if you’re a betting man, I’d put Kyle as closing out all the tracks first.”