Sat Mar 1 20:11:37 2008

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Martin adds to record win total

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Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Mark Martin knocked the two leaders out of the race with five laps to go and then went on to capture the Sam's Town 300 Nationwide race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway pushing his win total to a record 48. The No.5 Chevrolet driver crossed the finish line 0.586 seconds ahead of Greg Biffle.

The victory was Martin's first in three years (also Las Vegas) and record 48th of his Nationwide career.

Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and David Stremme completed the top-five.

There were just seven laps to go and Carl Edwards caught leader Brad Keselowski, but had problems passing him. That allowed Martin and Biffle to catch up and make it a four-car race.

But Martin hit the rear bumper of Edwards on lap 195 and it sent him spinning into Keselowski. The two leaders spun leaving Martin in the lead and a green- white-checker finish ahead.

"I'd like to be really mad at Mark, but Mark's a heck of a guy, he's a guy we all look up to, I'm sure he just made a mistake," said Edwards.

On the restart, Martin got a three length lead on Biffle. By the time they saw the white flag it was five lengths and that was the race.

"I've got to apologize before we do any celebrating to Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski," said Martin. "I ran into the back of Carl and he lost control. I hate it."

Brian Vickers won the pole, but Jeff Burton charged to the lead on the opening lap and led the first six laps.

But the most interesting driver to watch was Kyle Busch. The No.18 Interstate Toyota driver qualified third fastest on his first lap, but crashed the car on lap No.2. He started the race in his backup car at the back of the field and after two laps had already passed 14 cars.

Tony Stewart, winner of the first two Nationwide races this year, grabbed the lead from Burton on lap seven. Meanwhile, Busch was still flying in his untested backup car, making his way to 16th on lap 20.

Another caution flag and this one hurt Stewart as he was caught speeding down pit lane. It cost him a drive-thru penalty and left him in 26th place.

By lap 31, Busch was almost ready to enter the top-10, sitting in 11th place, when Brian Keselowski brought out the fifth caution flag of the afternoon. Vickers led eight laps, but then Martin grabbed the lead. After coming in 17th during one caution flag he had charged into the lead on lap 37.

Busch was still marching forward and by lap 40 was up to seventh place. Ten laps later Busch was fifth, but behind him Stewart was already back in 10th place.

Bobby Labonte slipped around Martin for the lead on lap 54 as Martin was content to keep his own pace and not worry this early in the race. Meanwhile, Burton had a left-rear tire go down and he dropped a lap to the leaders with his green-flag stop.

By lap 61 when Vickers had a tire blow and hit the wall bringing out a caution flag, Busch was up to third place and Stewart sixth. A 13.5-second stop for the No.18 pit crew put Busch in front of the field and long stop by Martin left him in 11th place.

Labonte was sitting comfortably in second place when his car suddenly jumped to the right, hitting the wall pretty hard, and brought out the seventh caution flag of the day. The accident gave second place to Stewart and allowed Burton to regain his position on the lead lap.

But just like the first two races of the year, Stewart motored past Busch and was the leader at the mid-point of the 200-lap race. Busch was trying to stay with Stewart, but couldn't. He fell one second back and then on lap 103 had a tire blow and he slammed the wall in turn three.

Stewart, Martin and Biffle were one-two-three after 115 laps, but Biffle couldn't stay with the top-two cars. He fell three seconds back. Even Martin was having a little trouble staying with Stewart, who built the lead to almost a second.

On the next caution flag, changing strategies left Stewart (changed four tires) in 13th place after his pit stop.

Martin, who took just fuel, grabbed the lead at lap 130 from Brad Keselowski who stayed out. But more caution flags slowed the pace of the race. Between Stewart and a third consecutive victory was some pretty good drivers - Martin, Biffle, Harvick, Burton, Clint Bowyer and David Reutimann.

However, it didn't seem to bother the No.20 Toyota driver. He was eighth on lap 135. Then on lap 138 Stewart and Reutimann got together ending both driver's chances of winning.

It was Martin, Biffle, Burton and Bowyer on the restart with 59 laps remaining. Burton's engine gave up the ghost and he was out of the race. Then Martin began to expand his lead. The gap was 2.532 seconds on lap 160. Just as suddenly around lap 171, Biffle began to chop into the lead. It was just 0.697 seconds with 25 laps to go.

Was Martin saving something for the end?

It appeared that all except one car would have to stop for fuel. That car Brad Keselowski was in eighth place and had enough fuel to reach the finish line. The leaders prepared to stop on lap 185, but a debris caution flag came out. Most took two tires and fuel.

Edwards beat Biffle, Bowyer and Martin back down pit road and sat behind Keselowski and Dario Franchitti, who also didn't stop.

On the first turn after the green flag, Edwards slipped into second place, but he was about half-a-second behind the leader. Biffle and Martin also got around the open-wheeler and Bowyer for third and fourth, respectively.

They reached lap 193 as a four-car battle for the win, but the Martin error cost Keselowski and Edwards a chance to fight for the win. Martin got the good final restart and went unchallenged the rest of the way to the checkered flag.

Stewart was credited with a 27th-place finish and will remain the points leader. He is 42 points ahead of both Busch and Harvick. The next race is scheduled for Saturday, March 8th at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.