LONG POND, Pa. — Kyle Busch stood on the window ledge of his truck, raised his arms in triumph and then slapped an appropriate number on the roof for a record-tying celebration.
Driving the No. 51 Toyota, Busch won his 51st career race in Trucks — matching the series record.
Busch held off Erik Jones down the stretch to win the NASCAR Trucks race Saturday at Pocono Raceway and tie the record for most career wins in series.
“It’s kind of funny the way the numbers work out, isn’t it?” Busch said.
Busch tied NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Ron Hornaday Jr. on the list with 51 wins. Hornaday needed 296 starts to reach his 51st win; Busch won his in just his 145th career start. Hornaday made 360 career starts and failed to win a race in his last three seasons.
Busch also won for the 191st time over the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series.
“It’s been a true testament just to the people I’ve worked with and the race teams I’ve been able to score wins with over the course of my career,” Busch said. “It certainly comes from a lot of great people and getting the job done.”
Busch’s burnout sparked flames on the front stretch and a crew was dispatched to put out the fire.
Busch, the 2015 NASCAR Cup champion, is not scheduled to race in Trucks for his Kyle Busch Motorsports team again this season.
He was pushed hard by Jones down the stretch and they battled side-by-side for the lead. But Busch shook off Jones — the two are teammates in Cup for Joe Gibbs — and pulled away over the final laps and won for the second time in the series this season.
“They had a better truck than us this weekend,” Busch said. “I knew Erik was going to be fast in that truck. I wish we were a tick faster. But being a little bit slower, we put on a better show. Erik was able to run me down and get there.”
Dalton Sargeant, Stewart Friesen and Justin Haley completed the top five.
Noah Gragson, who won this season at Kansas, was scratched because of a stomach virus. Jones subbed for Gragson and made his first start in the series in two years.
He tweeted he wanted to at least start the race, but understood NASCAR’s decision.
Unable to race today in Pocono due to Doctor not clearing me to race. If it were up to me, I’d be in my @safelite Tundra. I tried everything in my power to race. Thanks to everyone who supports me in my career. I feel like I’ve let everyone down. But respect NASCARs decision.
— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) July 28, 2018
I want to make clear that it is not my decision for me not racing today. It’s is the doctors decision. I DO NOT QUIT.
— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) July 28, 2018
It’s better to be prepared and not have an opportunity, than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.
Felt like my preparation this week was better than ever.
— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) July 28, 2018
Gragson was taken to the medical center after nearly passing out prior to qualifying, and NASCAR did not approve him to race Saturday. He did, however, get a waiver to still be playoff-eligible.
Busch said he didn’t know much about the illness that sidelined Gragson and said he hoped he never got sick on race weekend.
“There’s more opportunity for people to hold you out of the race, which is scary,” Busch said.
Busch led 43 of 60 laps and finished a whopping 17.120 seconds ahead of Sargeant in third.
ESPN’s Bob Pockrass contributed to this report.