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The Pit Stop


April 27, 2012 9:48 PM

Kurt Busch Wins One For KBM

Kurt Busch Richmond 2012.jpgKevin Harvick is on the poll for the Friday night Nationwide Series race, but on Thursday his car along the other two cars from Richard Childress Racing and the three cars from Turner Motorsports all wound up with the front noses being confiscated in pre race inspections. It was though a great night for racing.

"I think we have a good car though," said Travis Pastrana who is making his first start ever in the Nationwide Series. He was to make his first start last season, but got injured last season in the X-games attempting to pull off the 720 maneuver. He qualified his car in the 25th spot.

Elliott Salder stated that his car is fast. Ryan Blaney stated that the team gave him a great race car.

The race started and on lap two Kevin Harvick took over the raced lead from Denny Hamlin. The first caution on the night though came out on lap 23 for debris. The green flag dropped again and Kevin Harvick made it easy to take the race lead again.

During this green flag run Kurt Busch got hot and started to move up through the field as Kevin Harvick kept on leading laps. At lap 68 it was caution time again as J.J. Yeley blows a tire and smacks into the wall. "Blew a right front going into turn three," said J.J. Yeley.

The leaders pitted and Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick were the first two cars off pit road.

After the green flag dropped Kurt Busch needed a few laps, but was finally able to get the lead from Kevin Harvick. His lead though did not last that long and at lap 80 Kevin was back into the lead. The good green flag run lasted until lap 115 as Jason Bowles spun out as the leaders just put Danica Patrick one lap down.

The caution brought in the leaders with Kevin Harvick winning the race off pit road. Denny Hamlin though missed his pit stall and had to come down pit road a second time service. After the race restarted Kevin Harvick was back leading more and more laps. Then Kurt Busch finally got hot again and passed Kevin for the lead with 86 laps left.

Thirty more green flag laps go by and green flag pit stops started. Kevin Harvick pitted one laps later. Kurt Busch finally comes down with 47 laps left. This put Denny Hamlin into the race lead until he pitted with 44 laps left. This put Michael Annett in the lead and then after he pitted Joey Logano was in the lead. As the green flag laps continued Kurt Busch got so hot that with 27 laps left he was able to get the race lead back.

With less than 20 laps though Denny Hamlin was getting super hot and was catching up to Kurt Bsuch. With 5 laps left Kurt got into some heavy traffic. Three laps later and Kurt got through the heavy traffic. Denny Hamlin at this time was right behind him. At the Start finish line of the final lap Denny went low to make it a side by side battle for the race lead. Kurt Busch was really strong on the final lap staying right next to Denny for the race lead. On the final corner Denny gets sideways enough to give Kurt Busch the race win. This win makes the first ever Nationwide Series win for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Kyle Busch stated that having Kurt win the racing the race did not bother him. "This is amazing. So cool." Kyle Busch owns the car that Kurt was driving tonight.

"It was an amazing run for us," said Kurt Busch. "I didn't think he(Denny Hamlin) was going to catch us."

"He(Kurt Busch) won fair and square," said Denny Hamlin.

"I Think we had better cars here," said Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Travis Pastrana on the day though had a goal of finishing on the lead lap, but wound out finishing in 22nd place 2 laps down and spot behind Danica Patrick.

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