Sat Mar 8 17:28:42 2008

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Kenseth delivers in Atlanta

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Hampton, GA (Sports Network) - Matt Kenseth captured Saturday afternoon's Nicorette 300 Nationwide Series race at the chilly Atlanta Motor Speedway. The No.17 Ford driver crossed the finish line 0.159 seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick.

The victory was Kenseth's first of the season and 24th of his Nationwide career.

The race was almost a repeat of last year when Kyle Busch dominated leading 143 laps before a late incident ruined his day. Two-time defending Nicorette 300 champion Jeff Burton only led twice for a total of 29 laps, but it included the final 26, as he clipped Harvick by 1.064 seconds for his 24th Nationwide Series win.

In today's race, Busch was again in a league of his own as he led 153 of 198 laps. But with 25 laps to go Busch's right-front tire went flat causing him to crash into the first-turn wall to ruin another great performance. Busch finished the race in a disappointing 24th place.

Under a caution period, the last pit stops of the afternoon took place. David Ragan and Marcos Ambrose decided to go with a fuel-only stop, giving them the top-two spots, respectively. Carl Edwards, Burton and Kenseth followed behind.

With 20 laps remaining the race got restarted. Ragan and Ambrose fell through the field quickly on their old tires. Burton took the lead as Kenseth, Edwards and Harvick battled just behind him.

The excitement started to build when Kenseth made a push for the lead. Burton was able to hold him off though. But with nine laps left Kenseth made his way around Burton for first. Burton lost another spot when Harvick passed him for second.

With seven laps to go Dale Earnhardt Jr. clipped Eric McClure's car and sent him into the wall. Bryan Clauson got caught up in the mess and wrecked his car when he hit McClure. NASCAR officials put the red flag out to clean up the debris on the track.

Kenseth led Harvick, Burton, Edwards and Bobby Labonte to the restart with three laps to go. Before any action could take place the last caution flag came out for debris. This set up a green-white-checkered finish.

On the restart Kenseth and Harvick pulled away from the rest of the field. Kenseth doggedly held onto a one-car length lead throughout the final laps to give him the victory.

Burton, Edwards and Labonte completed the top-five.

After qualifying was snowed out, Burton brought the field to the green flag under sunny, but cool and windy 42-degree weather.

It took Busch just three turns to take the first spot away from Burton. Burton quickly dropped back to third as Clint Bowyer took over second.

After an early caution flag, Burton fought his way back to second place due to a bad restart by Bowyer. Harvick also took advantage by moving up to third. But Busch continued to dominate the race.

After a caution flag came out on lap 29, Busch led the leaders down pit road for their first pit stops of the afternoon. Busch maintained his lead after the stops with Burton and David Reutimann following behind.

Busch and Burton pulled away from the rest of the field. Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Harvick completed the top-five but trailed the leader by more than five seconds.

The gap was erased on lap 48 when a caution flag was brought for a crash between some drivers in the back of the field.

On the lap 53 restart the battle for the lead went four-wide due to Busch spinning his tires. Harvick won the fight to take the top-spot and Kenseth settled behind Harvick for second. But a confident Busch didn't panic as he sliced his way back to first just a few laps later.

With Busch building another big lead, Kenseth and Harvick battled for second. Burton and Bowyer rounded out the top-five.

With 80 laps in the books, Busch's margin was just over three seconds. His lead was near four seconds when he gave up his lead on lap 88 during a round of green flag pit stops.

A few mistakes occurred for two of the top-five drivers during the stops. Busch's pit crew had problems with the lug nut on his left-rear tire. But the most costly was a drive-through penalty for Bowyer.

Despite the slow pit stop, Busch was able to drive his way back to the front of the pack. Kenseth and Harvick followed behind in second and third when Brad Coleman brought out the caution flag.

The race went back to green flag conditions on lap 107. A great restart by Busch allowed him to create another gap. Harvick eventually took second away from Kenseth. Meanwhile, Burton and Edwards drove in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Busch's 2.197 lead was erased on lap 142 when Brett Rowe crashed to bring out the fifth caution flag of the day. Under the caution period the leaders came down pit road for pit stops.

When the stops were complete Busch led Harvick, Kenseth, Edwards and Earnhardt Jr. Busch pulled away again on the restart on lap 148. Harvick, Burton, Kenseth and Edwards trailed Busch.

With Busch in complete control of the race, he had his sights on a big win. But the blown tire on lap 172 ended his chance for the win and gave the other guys a shot at was all but unreachable.

Harvick's runner-up finish gives him a 25-point edge over Edwards heading into next week's race (605-580). Busch fell to third place, 74 points behind Harvick.

The next race is scheduled for Saturday, March 15th at the Bristol Motor Speedway.