Michael Waltrip Calls Max Papis "DUMB" as Kyle Takes His 3rd Hamlin Showdown

Stock car manufacturers have long held that what wins on Sunday will sell on Monday.

Kyle Busch would rather not wait that long.

Busch won his third Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown on Thursday night, racing to victory in a car he built specifically for the occasion.

Since he doesnt participate in many Late Model events, he joked he was ready to move the new car out of the shop.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports chassis shop hotline is open, he said. Win on Thursday, sell on Friday.

Buschs victory was largely anticlimactic, as he claimed an early lead and held off his only serious challenger, David Ragan.

Ragan, who also drives in the Sprint Cup series, said the 75-lap race to benefit the Denny Hamlin Foundation provided a nice break from the grind.

This is my hobby, my golf game, so to speak, he said. A 400-lap race here, youve got to pace yourself mentally; its challenging. But 75 laps, you can just drive the heck out of that thing.

Some drivers took that invitation too literally, as the race was marked by a number of cautions. In the final segment, 16-year-old Ben Rhodes pushed his way into third.

This is his second year on the NASCAR circuit, and he said the nerves of racing against the best are behind him.

Im more comfortable in the car now, he said. I dont feel like I have to perform harder in front of these guys.

Thursdays race was marked by the absence of its namesake. Hamlin stayed involved through the evening, though, delivering an opening address to the crowd and changing a tire on his No.11 car during a caution. That car was driven by Matt Kenseth, who admitted earlier in the day he didnt have much experience in Late Model racing. He proved that by spinning himself out early in the race, though he did finish.

Veteran driver Tony Stewart, the events defending champ, found himself caught up in a wreck early in the night.

The first fireworks flew 20 laps in, when Max Papis crashed into Michael Waltrip, leaving Waltrip incensed.

I dont know who drives the 33 (Papis), but hes dumb, Waltrip said. We probably ought to raise the money for the 33, because he needs it.

None of the drivers was able to challenge Busch, though, whose team delivered the right car for the occasion.

He said the investment was more in man hours than in parts, thanking his sponsors who contributed.

Busch is in position to sweep the NASCAR weekend at Richmond International Raceway, as he will be running in tonights Nationwide race and Saturdays Toyota Owners 400.

Busch completed the RIR hat trick in 2009, the only time it has been done.