Daytona Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Kyle Busch led 65 of 102 laps to capture
Saturday's Winn-Dixxie 250 Busch Series race at the Daytona International
Speedway. The No.5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver crossed the finish
line one-length ahead of Kevin Harvick.
The victory was Busch's first of the season and eighth of his Busch career.
Jason Leffler finally brought the field to the green flag almost 13 hours
after the race was scheduled to drop the green flag after rain postponed
Friday's race.
The No.38 Toyota driver didn't lead the race for very long. On the first lap
Leffler fell back to the third spot as Harvick and Clint Bowyer both took the
outside lane to pass him.
Harvick continued to show the way early as Bowyer, Leffler, Dave Blaney and
Tony Stewart followed closely behind him. The top-five was separated by less
than one second.
On lap 13 Harvick's car became very loss and he started to fall back through
the field. Bowyer inherited the lead as his Richard Childress teammate,
Harvick, found himself out of the top-10.
The NASCAR officials waved a scheduled competition caution on lap 20. During
the caution period Bowyer led the leaders down pit road for their first stops
of the race.
The battle off pit road was won by Busch, but in an unusual fashion. The No.5
Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver maintained pit road speed as he used the
grass to pass his competitors and win the battle. NASCAR officials gave Busch
a warning for this maneuver.
When the race got back underway Busch led Bowyer, Leffler and Mike Wallace.
The battle for the top spot heated up when Bowyer threatened to pass Busch.
Busch and Bowyer traded the first position back-and-forth. Busch finally
prevailed and held onto the lead.
The 22-year-old Busch was still showing the way when the next caution flag
flew on lap 51 for a Steve Wallace and David Reutimann crash. Under the
caution period Busch led the leaders down pit road for another round of pit
stops.
When the stops were complete Busch led Bowyer, Leffler, Greg Biffle and Blaney
to the lap 57 restart.
It became evident that Busch was the fastest car on the track. Busch obviously
had his sights set on winning his first Busch race of the season.
With Busch dominating, the battle behind him heated up. Bowyer, Blaney,
Stewart and Jamie McMurray battled for position.
On lap 74 the caution flag came out for debris on the track. Busch led Blaney,
Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Harvick down pit road under caution for their last
stops of the race.
The race off pit road was won by Busch. Mike Wallace came out second and
gained 12 spots by taking only right-side tires. Stewart, Harvick and Kahne
completed the top-five after the last round of pit stops.
When the race went back to green flag conditions with 22 laps to go,
Wallace dropped through the field. He found himself in the 10th spot when the
caution flag came out on the next lap.
With 17 laps remaining, Busch led Stewart, Harvick, Kahne and Carl Edwards to
the restart.
Busch maintained his lead as Stewart and Harvick battled for second. With 15
laps to go Harvick got around Stewart for the second position.
With nine laps left the fifth caution flag went flying.
The race went back to green with five laps to go. Busch held onto the lead as
his competitors traded spots behind him.
Just three laps remained when Juan Montoya brought out the last caution flag.
This set up for an exciting green-white-checkered finish.
Busch led Harvick, Blaney, Casey Mears and Bowyer to the green flag.
The No.5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had a good restart. Harvick was never
able to put a run together as Busch crossed the finish line.
Blaney, Stewart and Bowyer completed the top-five.
The next race in the series is set for Saturday, July 14th at the Chicagoland
Speedway.