Kenseth Survives Wild One at Bristol
Matt Kenseth survived a record number of caution flags and an early pit-road speeding penalty to battle back and win the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night. Kenseth used an amazing pass on leader Kevin Harvick’s outside with 17 laps remaining to take the lead for the first and final time. Kenseth attempted to pass Harvick several times but each time Harvick blocked the inside lane, forcing Kenseth to the high side where he was able to make the pass stick. Kenseth started fourth in the Ameriquest Mortgage Ford but was penalized for exiting pit road too fast on lap 95, sending him to the end of the longest line. Kenseth patiently worked his way back to the front of the pack where he scored his first NASCAR Busch Series win in 13 starts this season. His last series victory came on May 6, 2005 at Darlington. This is Kenseth’s third career win at Bristol and his 19th career trip to victory lane in 190 races. Kenseth also gave veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig his first Busch Series victory. Harvick had to settle for second place, while Ron Hornaday surged by Kasey Kahne in the closing laps to take third. Kahne placed fourth after starting at the rear of the field because of an engine change. Jason Leffler rounded out the top-five finishing positions.
Newman Captures 11th Busch Series Pole Position
Ryan Newman captured the NASCAR Busch Series pole position for tonight’s Food City 250 at the bullring known as Bristol Motor Speedway. Newman drove the No. 39 Alltel Dodge Charger to a qualifying lap of 15.420 seconds, at an average speed of 124.436 mph. For Newman, this is his 11th career NASCAR Busch Series pole and it comes in his 30th series qualifying attempt. The Busch Pole is the first in four Busch Series qualifying attempts for Newman at Bristol. In three previous NBS starts at Bristol, Newman finished sixth in the spring event of 2001, eighth in the summer event and he won here last August. Reed Sorenson will join Newman on the front row of the starting grid after turning in a qualifying lap of 15.426 seconds. Clint Bowyer will start from the third position, followed by Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne in the fourth and fifth positions respectively. Kahne will drop to the rear of the field due to an engine change.
