Busch bags win No.99
Fast-charging Reutimman takes second spot ahead of Johnson
Last Updated: July 16, 2012 11:24am
Busch: second win at the 1.5-mile oval in the space of three days
Kyle Busch registered his 99th NASCAR series victory as he triumphed in the inaugural Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway.
Busch pulled away from Jimmie Johnson on a restart with three laps to go to register his second triumph at the venue in the space of three days - he had also won the Trucks race at the 1.5-mile oval on Thursday night.
The 26-year-old from Las Vegas, who is still searching for his first points championship, had found himself on pole after rain wiped out qualifying.
He did not waste the chance to lead from the front, leading for 125 of the 267 laps before keeping at bay both Johnson and the fast-charging David Reutimman, who ended up taking second spot, in the closing stages.
"This is cool man," Busch said afterwards. "This is right up there with the best of them."
Ryan Newman was fourth, followed by Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth. Brad Keselowski and David Ragan were seventh and eighth respectively, just ahead of Kurt Busch, with Jeff Gordon rounding out the top 10 in his Chevrolet.
Kevin Harvick, who had begun the night with the overall points lead, finished 16th, dropping him back to third place in the standings.
