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Kyle Busch sets Truck Series record with 52nd win

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) - Kyle Busch broke a tie with Ron Hornaday Jr. for the NASCAR Truck Series victory record Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, winning No. 52 in a race delayed by rain with nine laps to go.

"It means a lot," Busch said. "It's a big deal for me and a big deal for this team."

The first 16 victories came in trucks fielded by Billy Ballew before Busch founded his own Kyle Busch Motorsports team. With Ballew in attendance at Atlanta, Busch's Tundra carried the former owner's name.

"I had Billy Ballew on board with us here today," Busch said. "And Billy's right over here as well. It took putting Billy Ballew back on my truck to get me a win here, so we might have to make that an annual reoccurrence."

Busch took Stage 1 and had an unscheduled stop shortly thereafter, but went from 24th to first to claim the second stage and went on for his fifth series win at Atlanta - and first since 2009.

Busch is set to make his 500th career NASCAR Cup start Sunday.

Johnny Sauter finished second, and Grant Enfinger, Brett Moffitt and Ben Rhodes rounded out the top five.

There was a red flag with 13 laps to go after a multi-truck crash on the front stretch. The trucks were under caution until the race was delayed for weather and restarted with five laps left. Busch was never challenged after that in a race he led 92 of the 130 laps.

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Kyle Busch does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
Kyle Busch (51) and Johnny Sauter run side by side during the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
Kyle Busch is tend to by crew members during a pit stop in a NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
Chad Finley makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
Sheldon Creed is tended to by pit crew during a NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
Trucks attempt to dry the track before practice and after qualifying was cancelled before a NASCAR XFINITY auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) The Associated Press
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