Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch made a rare dirt appearance Saturday night ahead of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Busch competed in the 6th Annual Dan Salay Memorial/35th Annual Ed Vanduinen Wood Tic at Merritt Speedway (MI) in a Dirt Late Model prepared by Michigan standout Brandon Thirlby.

After the night had ended, Busch had this to say on Twitter.

Confirmed… I’m no Kyle Larson. Struggled hard tonight but thanks to Merritt Spwy and all the fans for pilling in the stands!

— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) August 6, 2023

The Richard Childress Racing driver struggled at the Wood Tic, using a provisional to get into the 75-lap main event.  Busch started the race in 23rd and fell off just before the halfway points of the race, finishing 22nd.

Rusty Schlenk won the Wood Tic at Merritt Speedway for the second year in a row in dominating fashion.  Travis Stemler and Ryan Lanphierd rounded out the podium.

"Rowdy" has gained more experience on the dirt in recent years, running Micro Sprints alongside son Brexton, winning a feature at Port City Raceway in October 2022.  A former Prelude To The Dream winner at Eldora Speedway, Busch was making his second Dirt Late Model start of the year after taking part in the Kyle Larson Presents FloRacing Late Model Challenge at Volunteer Speedway in March.

Kyle Larson Wins World of Outlaws Thriller

While Busch was running the Late Model at Merritt, his NASCAR Cup Series counterpart was with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.  Larson and Eldora Million winner Logan Schuchart put on a battle of the ages in the Ironman 55, trading slide-jobs throughout the main event.  It was one last slider in three and four coming to the checkered that netted Larson his second Ironman 55 win.

Heart was thumpin last night! Such an awesome race with @LSchuchart1s pic.twitter.com/cGMlZNfnDL

— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) August 6, 2023

The former Knoxville Nationals and King’s Royal champion has 11 dirt wins in 2023 to go along with wins in all three of NASCAR’s top series’.  He’s won with the World of Outlaws, Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions, High Limit Sprint Car Series and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, while also collecting wins in the FloRacing Late Model Challenge and a UMP Modified win at Eldora Speedway.  He also leads the points standings with High Limit.

Larson will attempt to compete in Monday's Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway following the completion of the NASCAR Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway. From there, he'll shift his attention towards winning a second career Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway.