NNS - Scotts Turf Builder 300 @ Bristol 3-21-09

Kevin Harvick won the Scotts Turf Builder 300 @ Bristol on Saturday. His 5th Nationwide Series win @ Bristol; the new all-time series win record at the high banked short track.

It's Harvick's 1st series win of the season and 2nd top 10 finish. The win on Saturday also marks the first time he won in his own car for Kevin Harvick Inc.

"Finally, we got this out of the way," Harvick said. "The alternator went out today -- it was kind of hot in there -- but everybody did a great job… There's been a tremendous amount of pressure that I've put on myself -- probably more pressure than any of the guys want to see at the shop over the last year, but it's been well worth the reward today. And I guess it's kind of fitting that it comes on what's been my most successful track in the Nationwide Series here at Bristol, and I'm just glad it all finally came together." Kevin Harvick post race
(photo credit:Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Harvick lead twice for 46 laps, but it was Kyle Busch who looked like the one to beat throughout the day - leading 156 of the scheduled 300 laps. Kyle had problems in the pits during the final pit stop on lap 254. A tire taken off the right rear wheel of the #18 bounced off the inside wall and rolled back out onto pit road. Busch left his pit box before his crew could retrieve the tire and drew a penalty that dropped him from first to 16th for a restart on Lap 259. Kyle Busch finished 6th.

What's in a number? It's Harvick's 33rd Nationwide Series victory. He drove his #33 to victory lane. And Harvick is 33 years old.

Carl Edwards finished 2nd followed by Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and rookie Justin Allgaier.

15 cars finished on the lead lap. There were 10 cautions for 62 laps and a new track record of 16 lead changes among 8 drivers:

B. Gaughan # 1-6; C. Edwards 7-30; K. Busch 31-87; C. Bowyer 88; J. Nemechek 89-99; K. Harvick 100; J. Nemechek 101; C.Edwards 102-139; C. Bowyer 140; K. Wallace 141; C. Edwards 142-143; K. Busch 144-236; C. Edwards 237-247; K. Busch 248-253; C. Bowyer 254; M.Annett # 255; K. Harvick 256-300.

Carl Edwards leads the point standings by 114 points over Kevin Harvick. Harvick is not planning to run the entire Nationwide Series schedule.