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Kyle Busch dominates in Trucks for Kansas win

By WTOP Staff

DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kyle Busch dominated the caution-filled Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway on Friday night for his second victory in two starts this year.

The Sprint Cup driver was in control for much of the 250-mile race, when it wasn’t slowed by repeated cautions. There were nine cautions on the 1.5-mile track, including one on the first lap that set the tone for a sluggish night.

Busch won from the pole in the No. 51 Toyota. He has 37 series victories in 117 starts.

“Kansas! I’m a winner at Kansas!” Busch said. “We put a great Tundra out front and took it to Victory Lane.”

The caution total was just shy of the track-record 12 set in 2008.

Matt Crafton was second, followed by Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Tayler Malsam.

Busch won the first Truck race under the lights at Kansas. He led 104 of the 167 laps and was never seriously challenged in a race where just 12 trucks finished on the lead lap. Busch won the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, picking up where he left off last season, when he won five of 11 Truck starts.

Busch crew chief Eric Phillips also set the record with his 29th victory in the Truck Series.

“There were a couple of tense moments there,” Busch said. “I had to use lapped traffic to my advantage a few times to get by some guys. I knew if it went green, we would be pretty good.”

Crafton, the points leader, said his No. 88 Toyota “felt off” all race and Logano was a non-factor late even with 41 total laps led.

“In traffic, I was fast,” Logano said. “I could never pull away from anybody.”

But at least they missed the wrecks.

Ron Hornaday Jr. started the yellow flag parade when he triggered a wreck on the first lap, the first of three cautions over the first 15 laps. That wreck-stuffed race cause just 13 of 31 trucks to run on the lead lap with 65 laps left.

Ryan Blaney raced side-by-side with Logano when he lost control, saved the truck, then was plowed into by Johnny Sauter on Lap 85.

The wreck brought out the whopping eighth caution, as the race continued to creep along.

“I don’t know how they got bottomed up there behind me and destroyed our truck,” Blaney said. “He was just too far on my door. I had it saved, then they started wrecking behind us.”

Blaney will make his Sprint Cup debut Saturday night.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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