It took a long time for defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch to win a race this season. In more ways than one.

AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez

AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver took the checkered flag at the Autotrader EcoPark Automotive 500 Cup Series playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway on Wednesday night, three days after it was postponed for rain after 52 of 334 laps were completed.

Busch, who did not qualify for this year’s playoffs, has now won at least one race for 16 seasons straight.

“I feel like crap,” Busch said. “But I got a win.”

Busch edged out Martin Truex Jr. by 0.468 seconds to deny his teammate an automatic berth to the season finale in Phoenix on Nov. 8. Truex, who is currently seventh in the points standings, will have one more shot to make the final four at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia this Sunday.

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"Coming here we had a lot of confidence and we had a strong run,” Truex said. "This time of year, second is great, it’s just not good enough.”

Busch had just enough fuel left to do a burnout on the frontstretch and was a little slow in doing his customary winning bow.

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“It's been a long time,” Busch explained about the delayed reaction and crediting his crew for leading his fuel-saving efforts. “I kept getting great leadership and mentoring. ... It ran out coming in here to do a burnout.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report