Home Track Advantage: Busch Wins at Lowe's

CONCORD, N.C. (May 29, 2004) – Kyle Busch and Team Lowe’s Racing went to Victory Lane at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Saturday’s CARQUEST Auto Parts 300, winning for the second time in last three NASCAR Busch Series events. In the process, Busch became the first Hendrick Motorsports driver to win a Busch Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway since Tim Richmond back in 1986. Driving the No. 5 Lowe’s/Shop-Vac Chevrolet, Busch led three times for a race-high 93 laps en route to the team’s second win in the month of May. The 19-year-old also triumphed at Richmond, Va., on May 14 for his first career win, becoming the youngest driver to accomplish that feat in the history of the track. Saturday’s performance earned Busch the lead in Busch Series championship standings, which show a 38-point cushion over second-place Martin Truex Jr., who finished 14th. Having been the top-finishing rookie in 12 of 13 events this year, Busch also has a commanding margin in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings over second-place Paul Menard. It was the Las Vegas native’s second career start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he finished second to Matt Kenseth in his Busch Series debut last May. Starting from the outside pole position, Busch bested a race track full of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series regulars for the win. The field included Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip; former Busch Series champions Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle and Joe Nemechek; and former Cup Series title-winner Tony Stewart. Driving the No. 84 CARQUEST Chevrolet, Busch will join the 43-car NEXTEL cup field for Sunday’s 600-mile event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. It will mark his second start at NASCAR’s highest level.