It's a coveted title, but one that lends itself to distraction.
Kyle Busch is the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, and now that defense begins in earnest.
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After months of being free to race without worrying about locking into the field, Busch enters Chicagoland tied with Brad Keselowski atop the points by virtue of his four wins this season. The 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins Sunday, when the first in the 10-race series goes off about 2:30 p.m. ET.
Busch is trying to do what no one has under the current Chase format: win back-to-back titles.