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The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry is bringing the Halloween spirit to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. He will head to both Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway with the Halloween-themed M&Ms scheme.
Joe Gibbs Racing showed off the spooky theme on Tuesday, October 19. The team tweeted out the side-by-side photos of the stock car, which will feature bats on the door and candy containers in the hand of the orange lentil. The green lentil, on the other hand, has a witch’s hat to truly embrace the Halloween theme.
This scheme will debut during the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday, October 24 (3 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network). It will then return during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, October 31 (2 p.m. ET, NBC). Busch will showcase the Halloween scheme while fighting for a guaranteed spot in the championship four.
Busch has showcased different Halloween schemes during his Cup Series career, including one that featured a cartoon version of him bowing after taking the checkered flag. One of his Halloween schemes highlighted a weekend at Martinsville Speedway in 2018 when Busch posted the fastest qualifying time for the playoff race. He led the field to the green flag and then finished fourth overall.
Busch Will Now Head to Kansas Eight Points Above the Cutline
Busch will showcase the Halloween scheme as he fights for points and wins. The first race on the schedule is at Kansas, the track where Busch first reached Victory Lane in 2021. He led 20 laps and held off Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. after taking the lead on the final restart.
Following the victory, Busch headed to the airport where he took part in a special birthday celebration. His older brother, Kurt Busch, hired a Mariachi band to perform while they relaxed and drank celebratory beers in the waiting area.
“Kansas has been a good place for our sport. You know the crowd, the reception, the racetrack, the community has really built up around the racetrack there over the last 10 years, or so,” Busch said in a press release. “It’s been a lot of fun to see all that happen and I’m looking forward to the race. It’s been a great racetrack for us, lately. We’ve had some good runs there once the track aged. We’ve kind of seemed to maybe have figured out the place a little bit better. And, you know, we’re looking forward to the opportunity of being able to go out there and hopefully get ourselves a win with our M&M’S Halloween Camry.”
Busch Holds the Final Transfer Spot With 2 Races Before the Championship
One race is complete in the Round of Eight, and Busch sits in a favorable position. He is eight points above the playoff cutline with two races remaining in the round. He holds the final transfer position while defending Cup Series champion Chase Elliott sits eight points below the cutline.
Maintaining his hold on the final spot will not be a simple task for the two-time Cup Series champion. However, Busch has a solid history at Kansas. He has made 27 starts during his career and won twice. He first reached Victory Lane in 2016 and then returned in 2021. Busch also has nine top-five finishes and 13 top-10s.
Turning in a strong performance will be critical for Busch and the No. 18 team after the trip to Texas Motor Speedway. The team dealt with numerous issues during the opening Round of Eight race, such as tire chatter and a lack of overall grip, which led to audible frustration over the radio. Busch still finished eighth and above the cutline, but he has no room for error at Kansas and Martinsville.
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