Posted at 6:20 a.m., Saturday, July 7, 2007
Autos: Kyle Busch captures rain-delayed Busch race
By Mark Long
Associated Press
Busch led the majority of the Winn-Dixie 250, earned his first win in the series this season and ended a string of bad luck at the sport's most famous track.
Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick finished second, followed by Dave Blaney, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer. Series points leader Carl Edwards crossed the finish line 11th, three spots ahead of defending race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"We finally get one, we finally get one," Busch said. "It means a lot."
Busch celebrated the win, then joined 19 other drivers in retreating to their motorhomes to rest up for the Nextel Cup event scheduled about nine hours later _ a rare day-night doubleheader created when rain washed out the Busch race Friday night.
The 20 Cup regulars were facing a long day of 650 miles of racing.
Busch dominated much of the 102-lap morning event, taking the lead with a risky maneuver leaving pit road early and then staying out front pretty much the rest of the way.
Busch swerved into the grass following a round of pit stops on lap 20 and passed Bowyer and Kyle Krisiloff for his first lead of the race.
NASCAR officials reviewed the move, but decided not to penalize Busch. They warned him, though, telling him not to do it again.
Busch obliged and picked up his eighth career series win, his first since March 26, 2006 at Bristol _ ending a 36-race drought.
"If we can't get the job done, I don't think anybody can," Busch said.
Busch, who will lose his Nextel Cup ride with Hendrick Motorsports at the end of this season to make room for Earnhardt, has become NASCAR's top free agent, and his victory at Daytona could make him even more sought after.
He could have won both races here in February.
Busch dominated the early part of the last Busch race at Daytona, leading 46 laps before a fuel pressure problem ended his day.
He was strong again in the Cup race the following day, but then caused a massive wreck on the final lap that helped Harvick edge Mark Martin at the finish line.
Several cars had a shot at Busch in the final laps Saturday, but no one had the speed to get by him.
Juan Pablo Montoya spun with two laps remaining, bringing out a caution, closing up the field and setting up a green-white-checkered finish.
But Busch was perfect on the restart, holding off Blaney and Stewart and making the final two laps look easy. Blaney also gave Toyota a second-place finish in the Busch race at Daytona in February.
