Biffle's late charge drops Kyle Busch all the way to 8th

LOUDON, N.H.

Human error likely caused Kyle Busch's downfall Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway but, if he falls again, he'll have only himself to blame.

Busch can prove he's ready to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship by how he responds to his 34th-place finish at the Sylvania 300, which dropped him out of the points lead for the first time since April. Should the 23-year-old let Sunday's disappointment linger, his eight-win season will be overshadowed by immaturity. Overcome this race to win the title and it could add to his growing legacy.

While Greg Biffle celebrated his first victory of the season, Busch retreated to his team's hauler. After a few minutes, Busch slipped out the side door, walked through a narrow alley and snuck out of the garage without speaking to reporters.

"He's waited all year for this and then we have a huge disappointment like that," car owner Joe Gibbs said after the opening race of the title Chase.

A team that had been perfect most of the season floundered Sunday. The woes caused Busch to fall to eighth in the season standings, 74 points behind co-leaders Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. Johnson finished second to Biffle, with Edwards third.

A joint that hooks the sway bar to the lower control arm was either left loose or adjusted to the wrong length, according to Jimmy Makar, senior vice president at Joe Gibbs Racing. Essentially, the sway bar disconnected, destabilizing the car in the corners and making it difficult for Busch to drive the car.

Adding credence to that theory is that the part didn't break and the problem happened early in the 300-lap race.

"I think the sway bar just cane unhooked," Busch radioed his crew on lap 17 as the pole-sitter ran ninth. "Yep, I think the sway bar skipped a tooth... wonderful."

Busch boiled as he drove.

"Hang in here with me," crew chief Steve Addington radioed on lap 45.

Moments later, Busch said: "And as I watch the field pull away."

Busch's problems continued when he spun on lap 83. David Ragan slammed his brakes, but his quick stop caused Jamie McMurray to make a sudden maneuver. McMurray slid and bounced into the left rear of Busch's car, adding to Busch's dismal day.

Busch, already two laps down, lost six laps as his crew beat his car's rumpled trunk into something more streamlined and fixed his sway bar problem.

Then it became a matter of hoping several cars fell out so Busch, who finished 12 laps behind the leaders, could gain more points.

Busch gained eight spots in the final 85 laps, earning 24 more points.

"They're not out by a long shot," said Tony Eury Jr., crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. "They're still going to be there each and every week, but that's a hole you don't need to be digging yourself into."

It has been done before, though. A plug wire came loose on Johnson's engine at this race in 2006 and he lost power. He fell back in the pack and then was collected in an accident and finished 39th.

Johnson rallied to win the first of his two consecutive titles. So, there's still time. Consider where the series heads the next three weeks:

- Dover: Busch won there in June.

- Kansas: Busch won at Chicagoland Speedway in July, a track similar to Kansas.

- Talladega: Busch won there in April.

Even with what he has done this season, it's clear Busch does not have the fastest car all the time. Edwards and Johnson have excelled recently. Biffle could be one to watch this week at Dover, where he has finished no worse than sixth in the past three races at the 1-mile track.

Considering his competition, the key becomes Busch's maturity. Accused of being immature at times, he has shown better judgment this season. Yet, he hasn't been tested quite like this.

"I think nerves are going to be part of (the chase)," said car owner Rick Hendrick, who employed Busch until this season. "I think Kyle has matured enough to handle it. I think he'll drive the wheels off it at Dover. I don't think it's going to hurt him at all.

"It might just make him more of a bulldog."