“There’s a lot more cheers than boos,” commented TNT broadcaster Wally Dallenbach immediately after the finish of the 2008 Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. “You can’t help but a respect a driver that’s been doing what he’s doing. That’s just pure talent standing there.”

Kyle Busch who had just won his sixth race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, had collected the checkered flag from the flag stand and had walked back to his bright green #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota. He then saluted the crowd and the cheers just grew louder.

The 23 year-old from Las Vegas had sensationally won a race that was equal parts stock car race, demolition derby and cage fighting. In fact Busch won the race at the start of the green-white-checkered flag race to the finish when a huge crash involving upwards of 15 cars sent carnage, cut rubber and fluids all over the 31-degree high banks, freezing the field Busch then deemed the winner by a few feet over Roush-Fenway Ford driver Carl Edwards. Matt Kenseth would finish the race in third, followed by Kurt Busch, David Ragan, Robby Gordon and Kasey Kahne.

"We had a pretty good car,” Busch said afterwards. "We didn't have the best car, but we were strong enough to get to the front when it mattered most. I've really got to thank the 17 car. Matt Kenseth gave me a great push there at the end. The 17 was strong and helped us.

"We were just able to stay clear and get the good breaks when it mattered most. There's no rabbit's foot and no four-leaf clover that I have stashed in my pocket."

The Coke Zero marked the 10 Sprint Cup victory of Busch’s career and extended his point lead in the Chase for the Sprint Cup to 182 points over second place driver Dale Earnhardt.

While Busch is enjoying a dream season, the breaks he does seem to be receiving have all been earned and he has been driving superlatively. In fact on lap number 82 of what would ultimately be a 162-lap race, Busch was hit by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, the shunt dropping him down the Daytona scoring pylon like a rock. However, Elliott Sadler's crash in Turn 4 on lap number 109 forced a caution flag and allowed Busch to close back up on the field. Thus, on lap number 161 when the race came down to a one lap free for all, Busch was able to be in the right place at the right time when Jeff Gordon, as well as a dozen or more other cars all got caught up in an accordion-like crash that, mercifully, put the race at an end.