Race Recap: Blaney Out Duels Kenseth for Last Lap Win at Lowe's

Results

 Driver Points

Owners Points

Lap Summary

Post-Race Loop Data for Lowe's

Kevin Harvick clinched his second career NASCAR Busch Series championship, and Dave Blaney own his first career NASCAR Busch Series race in his 93rd attempt Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

The two accomplished tasks that appeared not to be attainable at the conclusion of a bizarre Friday the 13th race night in the Dollar General 300.

A pair of red flag periods in the final 10 laps of the brutal event kept the outcome in doubt until the checkered flag. Three off the four primary late race contenders simply pushed their cars beyond their limits. The last man standing was NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Blaney, who ended up standing in victory lane.

Tire problems for Harvick were accentuated by unusually slow pit stop execution, and took him to a low of two laps behind the leaders. He raced hard and made one lap up on the track. But he also needed a little help from Carl Edwards, who appeared en route to the win when circumstances caused well planned strategies to be tossed to the ground.

NACAR red flagged the event on lap 190 for an audit of scoring loops and video to determine the restart order. That was settled with Edwards in the lead, followed by Casey Mears, 38th place starter Danny O’Quinn, Jr, Blaney and Stacy Compton.

Inside five laps to go, Edwards and Mears wrecked, pushing their cars beyond the line of control. That set up a red flag period for track clean-up, followed by a green/white/checkered dash to the finish. Blaney inherited the lead following the Edwards/Mears incident.

Blaney lead the field to the race’s “overtime” three lap finish that extended the event to 203 laps. He then made his car stick in the middle groove, offering challenger Matt Kenseth the complete low groove to make his move. Kenseth used the real-estate boldly, but he crossed the line of control and spun as the checkered flag fell. Michael Waltrip, who started 42nd in the 43-car field, finished second followed by 30th place starter Compton, Kenseth, and O’Quinn.

Harvick meanwhile had fallen two laps behind the lead lap and as deep as 35th place, before driving himself out of the hole to score a ninth place finish and clinch the series championship. He also won the title in 2001.

Saturday night Harvick returns to the pressure cooker of the Chase to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in a bid to win championships in NASCAR’s two top series in a single season, a goal that remains within his reach.

Harvick starts Saturday night’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race fourth in points, only 33 behind leader Jeff Burton.