Busch enjoying dream season

Ah, to be 23 and Kyle Busch

While most people in their early 20s are struggling to begin their professional careers or personal relationships, Busch just keeps on winning races, proving that he is by far the best driver in NASCAR in 2008.

With seven wins in his first 19 races this season, he has joined Darrell Waltrip (1981) and the late Dale Earnhardt ('87) as the only drivers to achieve that impressive accomplishment.

Moreover, Saturday's win at Chicago gave Busch a whopping 262-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr., who just happens to be the driver who took over Busch's ride at Hendrick Motorsports when Busch was turned loose last year.

It's not only that Busch has won so many races for Joe Gibbs Racing this year, but also how he has won. He either dominates or snatches away victory at the last moment, as he did in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona two weeks ago and at Chicagoland Saturday night.

Carl Edwards was on the short end of that battle at Daytona and it was Jimmie Johnson's turn at Chicagoland, in the lead only to see it disappear as Busch's Toyota went blazing past.

"I've watched Jimmie Johnson do that a few times and I don't know how I did that," Busch admitted. "Jimmie was going to bring us down slow. I remember this from short track days when somebody was in your mirror and you creep up on them. You stop and they'll go up on you. Well, I just went -- I pushed Jimmie to go and was like, 'let's go man, here we go.'

"That was the saving grace right there was a good restart. I just had to go to the outside because he was going to block the bottom in turn one and two. It sucked for me out there. I don't know how, why or whatever. Steve Addington (crew chief) and these guys deserve this one here. It was a great car out front all night. We got back in traffic and complained about it a lot. When we got back out front it felt good again. I knew when Jimmie got us here that clean air was going to be it. Luckily we got that caution and got back by him."

That is the latest move that adds up to an incredible season for Busch.

"I really don't believe how good things are going," Busch said. "It's just been a phenomenal year. Something just so special. I have to thank the good Lord from up above. I don't know where this is coming from, but he's blessing us all at Joe Gibbs Racing this year. This is just a privilege to be a part of and we're so proud."