After two weeks away, several Winston Cup regulars returned to the Busch Series for the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The 200-lap event rolled to a start under cloudy skies during a welcome break in the rain that fell on Charlotte all weekend.
A record setting lap earned Kevin Harvick the pole position. Point leader David green qualified a disappointing 20th. Perhaps the most interesting story of the weekend was that of the driver starting 5th, Kyle Busch, who was making his first Busch Series start just days after turning 18.
Contact between Kerry Earnhardt and David Green brought out the first caution of the day only 6 laps into the race, sending the point leader to the garage with major damage to his car. Earnhardt headed into he pits, but returned to the race just one lap down. On the restart, Kevin Harvick pulled to a 1 second lead over the rest of the field, but Michael Waltrip closed the gap and drove around him for the lead on lap 22.
The first round of green flag pit stops began on lap 60. After an uneventful pit cycle, Matt Kenseth led, followed by Waltrip, who quickly reclaimed the lead. As the race reached the halfway point and the sun peaked out through the clouds, Waltrip led the 12 cars remaining on the lead lap. The second caution came on lap 105, when Shane Hmiel's car began smoking. Two cars managed to get back onto the lead lap as the field came around to the yellow flag, and all of the lead lap cars headed into the pits. Pole sitter Harvick won the race off of pit road to retake the top spot.
Another caution, brought out by Kerry Earnhardt's spin in turn 4, came just in time for Michael Waltrip, who was having engine problems. A problem with a lug nut slowed Harvick's stop, and Kyle Busch won the race off pit road to take the lead. Waltrip made a second stop for repairs, leaving the pits to hold on to the lead lap before returning to his pit box, and lined up 13th for the restart, as the last car on the lead lap. On the restart, Busch shot out in front of the field to a full second lead over Kevin Harvick.
A caution for debris on the racetrack brought the field back together with 33 laps to go. As the drivers came down pit road, strategy was on everyone's mind. Leader Kyle Busch took only two tires, as did Todd Bodine. The rest of the field took four. A loose tire cost Dave Blaney track position as NASCAR called him back into the pits to serve a stop and go penalty. Matt Kenseth took the lead from Busch on the restart and drove off from the field as the laps would down. Busch settled into a comfortable second, more than a second in front of the third place car of Todd Bodine. On lap 198, Greg Biffle spun in turn 4, bringing out the final caution of the day. The race finished under the yellow flag, and Kenseth took his second checkered flag of the Busch season. A fourth place finish coupled with David Green's early misfortune allowed Todd Bodine to reclaim his lead in the championship standings. Of nine lead changes between 5 drivers, only 1 of the leaders, Kyle Busch, was not a Winston Cup regular.
Unofficial Results
- Matt Kenseth
- Kyle Busch
- Scott Riggs
- Todd Bodine
- Mike Bliss
- Kasey Kahne
- Hank Parker Jr.
- Ashton Lewis
- Kevin Harvick
- Michael Waltrip
Unofficial Standings
- Todd Bodine
- David Green -98
- Scott Riggs -100
- Mike Bliss -130
- Ron Hornaday -133
- Jason Keller -167
- Shane Hmiel -205
- Brian Vickers -209
- Johnny Sauter -222
- Bobby Hamilton Jr. -273
