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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It appears as if Kyle Busch can do little wrong in 2008.
Busch scored his sixth victory of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season when NASCAR declared him the winner under caution during a wild, bizarre and frenzied finish in the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.
A multi-car accident on lap 157 brought out a caution flag, resulting in a green/white/checkered finish. When the green flag flew on lap 161, leader Jeff Gordon tangled with Carl Edwards, and Gordon spun, but no caution flag flew.
As the field raced to the white flag, another multi-car accident happened behind the leaders. When NASCAR threw the caution flag, which signified the end of the race, Busch had edged ahead of Edwards, giving him the victory.
“It was pretty crazy, for sure,” Busch said. “We kept a cool head tonight, and, fortunately, we were able to get the victory. It was a close call, but we made it through and won.”
Gordon, who appeared as if he would secure his first victory of the season, took the blame for the incident with Edwards.
“I’m just so excited about the way we ran, but obviously disappointed about the way we finished,” said Gordon, who finished 30th. “It was probably my fault. We were going for the win and trying to get momentum and the No. 99 (Edwards) got a run. I went low to block him and he kept going low and I guess I must have come across his front bumper. I don’t really know what happened.”
A disappointed Edwards saw the videotape after getting out of his No. 99 AFLAC Ford and did not dispute NASCAR’s call.
“I wasn’t sure about who had won until we were going down the backstretch after the caution flag, but I saw the yellow light going on as I was going by it,” Edwards said. “I was just getting a run on Kyle’s door, so I figured I was probably second. I hate to lose a race like this. Second is second. I really want to win a race at Daytona.”
The victory is Busch’s first at Daytona and his second consecutive on a restrictor-plate track after winning at Talladega Superspeedway in April. Busch also redeemed himself after finishing second to Jamie McMurray in the second-closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history in last year’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola.
“I know how Carl feels, for sure,” Busch said. “I remember all too well what happened last year and how we lost it. I knew a lot was going on, and I just wanted to get the No. 18 car to the stripe first. When I found out who won, I was like, ‘whew.’”
Busch led the Sprint Cup Series standings by 64 points over Jeff Burton coming into Saturday night’s race. The victory allowed him to extend his lead and gave him yet another 10 bonus points for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. NASCAR awards 10 bonus points for each victory.
Edwards, who is fourth in the points, has three victories this season.
Busch spent the majority of the first half of the race running in the top five, including leading twice for 24 laps. On lap 82, however, his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota tangled with teammate Denny Hamlin. He stayed on the lead lap, but dropped all the way to the back of the pack.
By lap 114, Busch had made his way back into the top 10 and he climbed back into the top five by lap 120..
Tony Stewart, sitting ninth in the Sprint Cup Series point standings coming in, removed himself from the seat of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota due to an illness. He was replaced by former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate J.J. Yeley, who failed to qualify for Saturday night’s race. Yeley wound up finishing 20th.
Stewart was treated for flu-like symptoms in the infield care center.
Jeff Burton, who sat 64 points behind Busch in the standings coming in, was involved in a multi-car accident on lap 141. Burton, who had finished in the top 15 in the previous 23 consecutive races, wound up 37th.
