Want to know the secret to Kyle Busch’s success?

Is it some supernatural freakish ability? Can he, a la Dale Earnhardt Sr., see the air as it moves around the car? Does he have a sixth sense in finding the best way around a track?

According to Busch, the answer is not so interesting. For the uber-talented Joe Gibbs Racing driver, it comes down to a rare ability to block out all things non-racing.

“You’ve got to keep your mind focused,” last week’s Richmond winner said. “The way I do it is to not let outside things get in. You know, I don’t pay attention to a lot of what goes on during the weekend. I don’t pay a lot of attention to what goes on with other people, with other racers, with fans and that kind of stuff.”

If you think about it, Busch’s words make sense. In today’s world of NASCAR, where drivers are as much pitch men as they are athletes, remaining focused on the main job is a very difficult thing to master. There are public appearances to make, interviews with the media, television commercials and, yes, a private life.

If a driver gets caught up in any of those other areas of his life, the racing can only suffer. Busch’s focus, he says, is one reason fans find him standoffish.

“People always think that I might be a jerk or I might be not so social or personable because I’m trying to keep in the zone and stay focused on what I’m doing and what’s coming up next,” he said. “I’m always thinking ahead and trying to keep a step ahead.”

It isn’t just something he learned in recent years. He says his single-mindedness was on display as a youngster.

“I’d get done with one thing and say, ‘What’s next?’ And my dad said, ‘Stop asking me,’” he recalled. “Just keep thinking, ‘What is the next process? What is the next thing you need to do to get ready to go?’ Whether it’s loading the car, tying it down, setting air pressures.

“So I’m always trying to think ahead. How can we make the Cup car better? What things have we done? What can we work on? I’m thinking about the Nationwide car. My mind never stops. So that’s where it all comes from, and maybe why I’m so focused because I’m always thinking, trying to stay ahead.”

This isn’t to say Busch doesn’t get distracted during a race. We’ve all seen him fly off the handle when he thinks someone has done him wrong. And we’ve heard him express frustration when his car isn’t handling correctly. Those are the things he’s learned how to handle in a better way in the past two years, and his peers have noticed.

“I’m watching him mature and make smart decisions on the track and still running in an aggressive manner,” Jimmie Johnson said. “Where before you could count on him hitting something or someone. and it was just a matter of time, now he’s not making those mistakes. Unfortunately for us, he’s getting smarter.

“The impressive thing is that he still has his aggressive driving style without the mistakes. I think in some other cases you’ve got one or the other and you have to pull back so far you don’t have that spark, and Kyle certainly is exciting to watch and has that spark still without hitting things.”

Johnson should know. Three years ago, when the two were Hendrick Motorsports teammates, he saw up close how Busch would often sabotage his races with ill-timed moves. We all knew Busch had the raw talent to succeed on the Sprint Cup level, and now that he’s found a way to harness that talent while maintaining his focus, a championship can’t be far off.