Kyle Busch wins Daytona, collects sixth win of season

A green-white-checkered flag finish set up a final charge to the finish, but a multi-car wreck ensued on the last lap, ending the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway under caution. To say the finish was riveting would be an understatement; though the race was complete, the suspense continued as NASCAR sorted out timing and scoring before declaring Kyle Busch the winner.

It was Busch’s sixth win of the season.

"We didn't have the best car tonight but these guys never gave up and we never gave up out there on the race track,” Busch said. “We just had to get up to the front and luckily we were leading there when it mattered the most when the caution came out. There was just a ton of wrecks behind us.  I hate it for all of those guys in torn up equipment. I'm glad to have this Interstate Batteries Toyota up front.”

Busch led the field to the final restart with Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards lined up second and third. Edwards got into Gordon, sending his Chevrolet spinning down track and out of contention. His car stalled but NASCAR kept the field under green flag conditions as he refired his entry.

Up to that point, Gordon, who remains winless in 2008, had led 46 laps. He finished the race 30th.

Busch led the field with Edwards charging in the high lane. A half car-length lead was the advantage for Busch as a caution flag fell, freezing the field and ending the race.

"I've really got to thank the 17 (Matt Kenseth).  He was with the 99 (Edwards) there,” Busch said of the Roush Fenway Racing teammates and the finish. “The 99 got out sliding down the back straightaway and the 17 ducked in behind us.  Kenseth gave me a great push and we were able to be ahead when it mattered.

“Sometimes it doesn't quite workout with teammates.  I know that from here in the past."

According to Edwards however, Kenseth did what any teammate should have.

“That was a little nerve-wracking there, before they announced the winner, but I don’t know what to tell you. Second place is second place. I really wanted to win. Matt did a great job helping me. That was very cool.”

Busch came back from an early scare on lap 82 which could have ended much differently. His No. 18 Toyota got a tap from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin sending him sideways and onto the apron.

"When I got hit from Denny and I pulled out of line to try to pass, the air pinned the nose and it just got me squirrely down the straightaway,” he explained. “There was really no rear grip in the rear tires while I was going straight for whatever reason. So I just had to slow it down and get it straight and road the apron there.”

Kurt Busch and David Ragan closed out the top 5. Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin finished sixth – 10th.

Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman finished the race 36th after being involved in a wreck on lap 137 in Turn 4 with Hamlin.

On lap 141 Casey Mears and Jeff Burton also collided in Turn 4. Burton’s Chevrolet had heavy damage and he finished the race 37th, notching his first DNF of the year. It was the first time Burton has finished outside of the top 15 in 23 consecutive races, dating back to October of 2007.

The finish dropped him to third in the standings with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who led a race high 51 laps and finished eighth, moving into second. Busch continues to lead the standings with eight races remaining before the final 10-race Chase, by 182 points.

On lap 158 a seven-car wreck broke out in Turn 3 including the cars of Jimmie Johnson and J.J. Yeley, who was filling in for Tony Stewart in the No. 20 Toyota. The wreck set up the final charge to the checkered flag before the final wreck happened on the last lap, ending the race under yellow.

On lap 71 Stewart climbed from his car suffering flu-like symptoms. He was treated pre-race with fluids at the infield care center and quickly made a return visit once surrendering the wheel of his Toyota.

"Today I had a real severe headache and some other flu-like symptoms,” Stewart said. “I haven't really felt great for about two weeks, but it really didn't bother me. It was just more of a nuisance.”

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds