Kyle Busch managed a career best in one stat category this season


Advertisement

There's no doubt that the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series season was dominated by Martin Truex Jr.

Not only did Truex win the championship, he also had his name at the top of nearly every statistical category in the sport. He was first in races won, stages won, top-5's, top-10's, and laps led, according to NBC Sports. But there was at least one category that Truex didn't dominate,  and that one was topped by Kyle Busch.

RELATED: Who says racing is over? Kyle Busch gets a win in Florida.

The driver of the No. 18 managed to win eight poles on the season,  twice as many as the next closest driver (Kevin Harvick). Busch's previous career high was three poles in one season, which he did in back-to-back seasons (2013-14).

Advertisement

The races in which he started from the pole were both races at Pocono, the first race at Dover, the second race at New Hampshire, Kentucky, Watkins Glenn, Chicago, and Indianapolis. Of the those eight races, he managed to win two, the second race at Pocono and the second at New Hampshire. Most impressively, four of the poles came within a five-race stretch.

RELATED: Kyle Busch shows his lighter side by dressing like an elf, and it's stylishly strange

Harvick's four poles were second best, followed by Truex and Kyle Larson with three each. Dale Earnhardt Jr., in his final season, had two poles.

Advertisement