Kyle Busch still searching for first NBS win of season

He's led the most laps in four Busch Series races this season. He has been up front for a total of 499 laps in 2007, and that's 260 more than anybody else in the series. He's led laps in every race in which he's competed this year. And his record at Phoenix International Raceway is squeaky clean, including a nearly complete domination in 2004.

By the Numbers

Greg Biffle owns Phoenix International Speedway in the Busch Series. The only two-time winner, he averages a finish of 5.4, tops among drivers.

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By most standards, Kyle Busch could be the obvious points leader with the series perched in the desert this weekend. But by luck's standards, his has dried up at the end of nearly every race this season.

Aside from the real points leader Carl Edwards, Busch has been the most consistent driver this season in the Busch Series. And he's been the one with the most heartache.

"We've led a lot of laps this season," said Busch, who is fourth in the standings at 457 points behind Edwards. "We actually should have about four wins in the Busch Series, but we just haven't been able to lead that one lap that counts."

On a part-time schedule from the beginning, Busch has competed in six of the eight races so far. His season nightmare: the opening race at Daytona. That's when Busch started 10th and led four times for 46 laps. But a bad fuel pump ended his day early with a 37th-place finish.

Since then one would think it's been a smooth ride to the top.

Busch led 27 laps and finished third behind Matt Kenseth and Casey Mears at California.

He skipped Mexico City, then went to Las Vegas, where he made contact with Jeff Burton as they came to the checkered flag only to spin across the line to finish second. He led a race-high 81 laps that day.

He earned the pole at Atlanta, led a race-high 143 laps only to watch Burton win again. This time, Busch finished third behind second-place Kevin Harvick.

He went to Bristol as the defending race winner and led 89 laps but couldn't catch Edwards. He settled for a third-place finish.

He skipped Nashville, then went to Texas, where he started third and again led the most laps (113) only to finish seventh while watching Kenseth edge Denny Hamlin for the victory.

Six races, five times he's been able to see the winner through his windshield. He's hoping the tables will turn in Friday's Bashas' Supermarkets 200 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2). (Continued)