CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS

• Busch bests Hornaday Jr. in Atlanta

  
  

  Hampton, GA (Sports Network) - Kyle Busch was just too strong all night long capturing Friday night's American Commercial Lines 200 Craftsman Truck Series race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The No.51 Billy Ballew Toyota crossed the finish line 1.116 seconds ahead of Hornaday Jr.

  Busch overcame an early race pit-stop penalty and beat Hornaday Jr., known as the "King of Restarts" at his own game over the final four laps. The victory was Busch's second in a row, third straight at Atlanta and eighth of his truck career.

  Mike Skinner, Matt Crafton and Chad McCumbee completed the top-five.

  The race started with Hornaday Jr. bringing the field to the green flag for 130 laps of high speed racing. But he didn't stay there for long as Busch and Hornaday Jr. played leap frog with the lead over the first few laps.

  The first contender to have problems was Johnny Benson, who blew a tire on lap 19. Then on the pit stop, a tire got loose from points and race leader Busch and the penalty was the end of the longest line - last truck on the lead lap.

  That just made it more fun for the fans at the track because it's always fun to watch the young Las Vegas native slice through a field. Tonight was a perfect example.

  He restarted 29th and at the end of the first green flag lap he was 21st. By lap 36 he was knocking on the door of the top-10, passing trucked on the apron and up near the wall.

  Up front Hornaday Jr. was leading Todd Bodine by just under one second and Jack Sprague was third 1.2 seconds back.

  After a Justin Marks spin on lap 42, Busch's crew gave him a great stop and he came out fourth behind Sprague, Hornaday Jr. and Bodine. On the restart, Hornaday Jr. and Busch immediately put the pressure on Sprague and he couldn't hold them off.

  Using the high line, Busch got even with Hornaday Jr. as the crossed the start/finish line to start lap 51. By lap 65 the two were almost three seconds ahead of third place Sprague with Busch leading the way.

  Suddenly, Busch lost the lead to Hornaday on lap 61 and couldn't keep up with the defending series champion. Busch fell almost three-quarters of a second back to Hornaday Jr. as the field hit the mid-point of the race. Sprague caught Busch a couple of laps later and passed him for second place.

  Fifty-one laps to go and Busch was still dropping, McCumbee passed him for third place. McCumbee was the fastest truck on the track and was suddenly closing on the two leaders.

  There would be one more stop to make adjustments for the final run to the checkered flag. Hornaday Jr.'s fuel light began to flash on lap 89 and he turned down pit lane to start the green flag pit stops. Within the next two laps all the leaders pitted.

  After everyone had cycled through, Hornaday Jr. was holding a three-second lead on Busch. There were just nine trucks on the lead lap and Hornaday Jr. was flying, passing trucks high or low on the track - it didn't matter to the No.33 Chevrolet.

  There were 20 laps to go when rain drops began to fall. Officials brought out the caution flag, erasing Hornaday Jr.'s big lead. Would any of the remaining lead lap trucks pit for tires? Would Hornaday Jr. stop?

  Pit lane opened and Busch's No.51 Toyota immediately pulled down pit lane. But everyone else followed Hornaday Jr. who remained out. Then a lap later, Hornaday Jr. realized he needed new rubber if he was going to compete with Busch. He pitted and the rest of the leaders followed except for McCumbee and Crafton. McCumbee and Crafton inherited the lead, but with old tires. Behind them were Busch, Ted Musgrave and Hornaday Jr.

  "I was kind of surprised when Hornaday didn't come and then nobody followed me," said Busch. "Richie made a great call, coming down to get those four tires."

  Busch with new tires is tough to beat in the Cup Series, but against a less experienced driver like McCumbee it was no contest. Hornaday Jr. followed Busch through and they were one-two when the field hit lap 120. The rains hit and NASCAR brought out another caution flag. It just got too wet and officials were finally forced to exchange the red flag for the yellow.

  But it wasn't long and the engines re-fired. The green flag dropped with four laps remaining.

  Hornaday Jr., known for his restarts, couldn't get past Busch on this one. In fact, Busch pulled out to a sixth-length lead as they saw the white flag, signifying one lap to go. Hornaday Jr. couldn't make a move and Busch won for the third time at AMS.

  Busch leads Bodine, who finished ninth, by 72 points after the first three events. Hornaday Jr. is third, 122 points behind the Busch.

  The next race in the series is scheduled for Friday, March 29th at the Martinsville Speedway.

  03/07 23:46:25 ET