Backstretch Motorsports

FONTANA, CALIF. (August 30, 2008) — Give Kyle Busch credit for being a quick study.

Nudged out of the way and deprived of a win by Carl Edwards in last Saturday’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol, Busch didn’t let Edwards anywhere near his rear bumper in the closing laps of Saturday night’s Camping World RV Service 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway.

After a restart with eight laps remaining, Busch pulled away, as he had done consistently all night long, to hold off his nemesis and win the race under caution when Josh Wise wrecked on the white-flag lap.

After a restart with eight laps remaining, Busch pulled away, as he had done consistently all night long, to hold off his nemesis and win the race under caution when Josh Wise wrecked on the white-flag lap.

The victory was Busch’s seventh of the season in the series and the 18th of his career. Busch now has 18 victories in NASCAR’s top three series this season — eight in Cup, seven in Nationwide and three in the Craftsman Truck Series. He now has won in all three series at Auto Club Speedway along with Mark Martin.

Busch led 144 of the 150 laps and became the first driver to win from the pole in 17 Nationwide events at the two-mile track.

“This thing was flawless tonight,” Busch said of his No. 18 Toyota. “It was just amazing.”

Edwards’ runner-up finish allowed the defending series champion to retain third place in the standings, 222 points behind Clint Bowyer, who finished seventh. Brian Vickers ran third, followed by Jeff Burton, Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano.

Debris from Jason Leffler’s Toyota caused the fourth caution of the race on Lap 138 and set up an eight-lap run that ended short of the finish line, thanks to Wise’s accident. Busch pulled away to a lead of more than .6 second on Lap 143 and remained comfortably ahead the rest of the way until the race was slowed by the fifth and final caution.

Busch dedicated the victory to crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who, along with six other members of the Joe Gibbs Racing organization, is serving an indefinite suspension for trying to manipulate horsepower readings two weeks ago at Michigan. Doug Hewitt is serving as crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota during the suspension.

Note: An electrical problem forced Brad Keselowski to the garage on Lap 106, and after repairs, he returned to the track 21 laps down. With a 33rd-place finish, Keselowski remained second in the series standings but 204 points behind Bowyer.

NASCAR Race Number 27
Unofficial Race Results for the Camping World Rv Service 300 Presented
By Coleman - Saturday, August 30, 2008
Auto Club Speedway - Fontana, CA - 2 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 150 Laps - 300 Miles - Purse: $1,627,868
Leader
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Winnings Status Times Laps
1 1 18 Kyle Busch Z-Line Designs Toyota 150 195 10 $99,195 Running 3 144
2 4 60 Carl Edwards Save-a-Lot Ford 150 170 $66,200 Running
3 11 32 Brian Vickers ABF Freight/Seymour Toyota 150 165 $50,175 Running
4 2 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevrolet 150 165 5 $37,525 Running 1 1
5 7 17 Jamie McMurray CitiFinancial Ford 150 155 $32,925 Running
6 3 20 Joey Logano GameStop Toyota 150 150 $37,668 Running
7 10 2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet 150 151 5 $29,110 Running 1 1
8 13 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 150 142 $27,970 Running
9 14 6 David Ragan America’s Tire Ford 150 138 $27,275 Running
10 17 64 David Stremme Kenwood Chevrolet 150 134 $34,168 Running
11 9 33 Kevin Harvick Camping World Chevrolet 150 135 5 $25,825 Running 1 2
12 6 1 Mike Bliss Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet 150 127 $32,193 Running
13 15 47 Kelly Bires ICP Ford 150 129 5 $33,868 Running 1 1
14 27 11 Jason Keller K&N Filters Chevrolet 150 121 $30,518 Running
15 12 59 Marcos Ambrose Kingsford with Hickory Charcoal Ford 148 118 $33,043 Running
16 26 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Toyota 148 115 $30,068 Running
17 5 5 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet 148 112 $23,825 Running
18 22 40 Bryan Clauson # Fastenal Dodge 148 109 $30,818 Running
19 18 25 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Smithfield Ford 148 106 $29,668 Running
20 21 66 Steve Wallace Oakley Chevrolet 148 103 $30,343 Running
21 25 30 Stanton Barrett NOS Energy Drink Chevrolet 148 100 $29,918 Running
22 19 22 Josh Wise Supercuts Toyota 148 97 $29,293 Running
23 8 9 Chase Miller Ragu Dodge 147 94 $29,693 Running
24 28 81 Kevin Hamlin Mahindra Tractor Dodge 146 91 $29,018 Running
25 23 61 Brandon Whitt Ford 146 88 $29,068 Running
26 16 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota 146 85 $28,768 Running
27 39 01 Danny Efland sponsordavis.com Chevrolet 145 82 $28,618 Running
28 37 28 Kenny Wallace U.S. Border Patrol Chevrolet 145 79 $28,468 Running
29 34 83 John Borneman III Borneman Plastering/Twisted X Boots Ford 145 76 $21,875 Running
30 35 4 Derrike Cope JVC Chevrolet 144 73 $28,468 Running
31 20 27 David Gilliland Huggies/Stater Bros. Ford 143 70 $21,620 Running
32 38 24 Eric McClure Hefty Chevrolet 141 67 $27,953 Running
33 24 88 Brad Keselowski U.S. NAVY Chevrolet 128 69 5 $27,843 Running 1 1
34 30 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory In Jesus Dodge 48 61 $27,733 Handling
35 36 05 Burney Lamar 31-W Insulation/CertainTeed Ford 39 58 $27,628 Electrical
36 43 0 Larry Gunselman sponsordavis.com Chevrolet 26 55 $21,125 Rear End
37 29 31 Kenny Hendrick Interush.net Chevrolet 23 52 $21,090 Vibration
38 41 91 Justin Hobgood MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 20 49 $21,035 Electrical
39 40 90 Johnny Chapman MSRP Motorsports Chevrolet 17 46 $27,453 Vibration
40 42 52 Scott Gaylord Blaha Construction Chevrolet 14 43 $27,428 Engine
41 31 73 Kevin Lepage Dodge 8 40 $20,930 Fuel Pump
42 32 78 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 4 37 $20,890 Transmission
43 33 49 Kertus Davis Chevrolet 2 34 $20,834 Electrical
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 35,000 - Kyle Busch won the Camping World RV Service 300 presented by Coleman, his 18th NASCAR Nationwide Series victory and first at Auto Club Speedway. Prior to the green flag no driver(s) dropped to the rear.
Failed to Qualify: (1) 84 Mike Harmon.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 04 Mins, 49 Secs. Average Speed: 144.212 MPH Margin of Victory: Caution
Caution Flags: 5 for 15 laps: Laps: 57-60 (#32 accident turn 3); 78-81 (debris); 133-135 (#9 accident turn 2); 140-142 (debris); 150-150 (#22 accident turn 4).
Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers: K. Busch 1-39; J. Burton 40; K. Harvick 41-42; B. Keselowski 43; K. Busch 44-125; C. Bowyer 126; K. Bires 127; K. Busch 128-150.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) C. Bowyer 3,913;(2) Brad Keselowski 3,709;(3) C. Edwards 3,691;(4) D. Reutimann 3,503;(5) M. Bliss 3,474;(6) D. Ragan 3,428;(7) K. Busch 3,344;(8) M. Wallace 3,136;(9) J. Leffler 3,129;(10) M. Ambrose 3,082.
Coors Light Pole Award : Kyle Busch, #18 (177.401 mph) Featherlite “Most Improved Driver” : Marcos Ambrose, #59 (+19 Places)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Kyle Busch, #18 Mobil 1 Oil Command Performance : Brian Vickers, #32
Raybestos “Rookie of the Race” : Bryan Clauson, #40 Sunoco Diamond Performance : Kyle Busch, #18
WIX Filters “Lap Leader” : Kelly Bires, #47 (1 Lap)
Next Race: Sep. 5, 2008 - Richmond International Raceway