The Nationwide Series headed to Viva Las Vegas for the third race of the 2009 season.
Scott Speed started his Nationwide Series career from the pole, making him the only ninth driver to do so. Speed would have a strong start, leading the first two laps of the event before Kevin Harvick passed him.
Harvick would lead until Lap 7 when Denny Hamlin spun exiting Turn Four. Hamlin would collected Brad Keselowski and Mike Bliss, but both drivers made repairs and continued on.
Over the next 20 laps, the caution flag waved three more times. Once again for the unlucky Brad Keselowski, who cut a tire and hit the wall in Turn Three, on Lap 16.
That caution was fallowed a multi-car incident on Lap 22 started by a loose Kyle Busch hoping to take the lead from Harvick. Busch ended up making hard contact with the Turn Four wall. Busch casualties would include Brendan Gaughan, David Ragan and third place Scott Speed.
The third caution flag, on Lap 27 was in response the rookie driver John Wes Townley's hard crash. The leaders all took advantage by hitting pit road for the first time. Greg Biffle taking only fuel made a notably fast pit stop. Mike Bliss stated out to gain the lead as he and nine other drivers had pitted under an earlier caution. Bliss would ultimately loss his lead to Harvick on Lap 48.
Harvick stayed at the head of the field for a handful of laps, but wouldn’t be able to hold off the hard charging Carl Edwards on Lap 56. Edwards remained the leader when the fifth yellow flag of the race waved over the field on Lap 66 for Scott Gaylord's blown tire coming out of Turn Two.
Harvick would use the restart to take the lead back from Edwards, but lose the lead to Edwards again, five laps later. However, on Lap 85 Bliss would go down a tire leading to yet another caution.
1 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete