Race Recap: Stewart Edges Kyle Busch, Earnhardt for NASCAR Nationwide Series win
Nationwide Series Unofficial Results
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 16, 2008) — Polesitter Tony Stewart repelled a strong challenge from teammate Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
Stewart surged to the lead on Lap 117 of 120 and stayed there as the rest of the field diced for position behind him. On the final lap, Busch blocked Earnhardt’s last-ditch attempt to improve his position and all
but assured the victory for Stewart, who crossed the finish line .259 seconds ahead of Busch, with Earnhardt .412 seconds back.
Brian Vickers ran fourth, followed by Matt Kenseth, rookie Bryan Clauson, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan and defending series champion Carl Edwards.
The Joe Gibbs Racing teammates dominated the action, with Busch leading 47 laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, and Stewart 46.
“We were battling the balance of the car, but this thing was so fast down the straightaway,” Stewart said of his No. 20 Toyota. “Once we got up front, it actually helped my car turn.”
Busch had the lead on Lap 111 when a multicar crash in Turn 4 behind the lead pack brought out the fourth caution of the race. Steve Wallace spun after contact with the No. 88 Chevy of Brad Keselowski triggered a wreck that damaged seven cars. The race restarted with six laps remaining with Busch in the lead.
Vickers, Martin Truex Jr. and Busch battled for the top spot until Stewart went to the point.
“It’s a shame that we came in second with such a great racecar,” said Busch, who also came in second in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. “But the 20 was fast, too, and Tony Stewart’s the man.”
Earnhardt agreed.
“The situation was that you’ve got two great racecars with two great drivers in front of me,” said Earnhardt, whose crew had to replace the rear decklid and spoiler after the No. 5 Chevy failed pre-qualifying
inspection. “Tony says I’m one of the best restrictor-plate drivers, but he’s right there with me.”
The race was caution-free until Lap 55, when David Gilliland’s Ford broke loose in Turn 2 after contact from Greg Biffle, slammed the wall, slid down the track and collected the Chevrolet of Mark Green. Biffle’s
No. 16 Ford also sustained minor front-end damage during the accident.
The caution bunched the field, depriving the trio of Truex, Vickers and Busch of a lead of more than eight seconds they had opened over Clint Bowyer and Stewart. It also trapped the Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick one
lap down, as Harvick had made an unscheduled pit stop after his crew failed to fill his fuel cell fully on an earlier green-flag stop.
After a restart on Lap 59, Busch and Truex battled for the lead until Busch took control seven laps into the run. Busch stayed out front, with Stewart locked to his rear bumper, until Marcos Ambrose shredded his
right rear tire on the backstretch, bringing out the second caution of the race on Lap 78.
Stewart won the race off pit road for a restart on Lap 82 and kept his car out front until sheet metal falling from Ambrose’s car in Turn 2 caused the third caution on Lap 97. With quick work on pit road, Busch
led the field to a restart on Lap 101, followed by Earnhardt, Stewart, Vickers and David Reutimann.
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