BUSCH

• Busch dominates Nationwide race at California

  
  

  Fontana, CA (Sports Network) - Kyle Busch was simply unstoppable Saturday night at the Auto Club Speedway as he led all but six of 150 laps to win the Camping World RV Service 300. Busch only gave up the lead briefly on two separate green-flag pit stops. He easily held off Carl Edwards in the final laps to pick up his seventh Nationwide Series win of the season and the 18th of his career.

  Busch also recorded his 18th victory in NASCAR's three national touring series this year, including eight victories in the Sprint Cup Series and three in the Craftsman Truck Series.

  He gave Joe Gibbs Racing its record-extending 15th Nationwide victory of the season, but the first since JGR's two teams were severely penalized for violations stemming from Michigan post-race inspection that led to indefinite suspensions of crew chiefs and team members.

  "This one is for these guys," Busch said. "They got a bad rap a few weeks ago that they didn't really deserve, and I'm glad to get this one for them." Busch became the first driver to win a Nationwide race at California from the pole position. He also broke Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s 1998 record of 141 laps led in a Nationwide event there.

  Busch was dominant from the get-go. By Lap 17, he jumped out to a five-second lead, while Brian Vickers made the biggest gain in the field, moving up to third after starting 11th. Vickers passed Jeff Burton for the second spot on Lap 23.

  Jimmie Johnson's car was very loose in the early stages as he fell from fifth to 15th in the first 25 laps.

  Johnson, in his third Nationwide start of the year, drove the No.5 Chevrolet for team owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. He also suffered a cut tire and had to make an unscheduled pit stop in the closing laps. Johnson finished two laps down in 17th.

  Busch led the first 39 laps before he pitted during a round of green-flag stops.

  Vickers also pitted the same time as Busch, but Vickers had to come back to pit road when he was penalized for a missing lug nut on one of his wheels.

  After the cycle was completed on Lap 44, Busch was back in front again, while Vickers fell to 13th.

  Vickers made his way back to ninth by Lap 55 but brushed the wall, forcing the first caution after debris from his car littered the track. Busch was the quickest out of the pits followed by Kelly Bires, who advanced eight positions.

  Bires took fuel only during his stop, but his pit strategy backfired as he fell from second to 13th within five laps.

  Burton reclaimed the second spot, but Edwards moved ahead of him to take the position on Lap 70. Edwards ran two seconds behind Busch before the second caution came on Lap 77 for debris.

  Busch continued to be stout during the mid-stages as he built a 2.8-second lead on Edwards, while third-place Jamie McMurray trailed by five seconds on Lap 90. Busch had a piece of paper stuck on his front grill before the 100-lap mark, but moved up on the back bumper of Eric McClure's No.24 Chevrolet, allowing the paper to fly off.

  Busch pitted for the final time on Lap 125, putting Clint Bowyer in the lead for one lap.

  After Bires led a circuit, Busch was back in front for the remaining 23 laps.

  The race ended under caution when Josh Wise crashed on the final lap.

  Edwards' second-place finish allowed him to gain some ground on Bowyer in the championship point standings.

  Edwards, the defending series champion, is 222 points behind Bowyer, who finished seventh.

  Brian Vickers, Jeff Burton and Jamie McMurray completed the top-five.

  After winning last week's race at Bristol, Brad Keselowski suffered a major hit in his quest for the title.

  Keselowski was running as high as 12th, but suffered engine trouble on Lap 104. He returned 22 laps behind and ended up finishing 33rd. Keselowski trails Bowyer by 204 points.

  The next race is scheduled for Friday, September 5th, at the Richmond International Raceway.

  08/31 02:31:31 ET