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DOVER, Del. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashed into a dominating
Matt Kenseth, and Casey Atwood made the best of it Saturday,
winning the crash-filled MBNA Gold 200 NASCAR Busch Grand National
race.
Because Kenseth was unable to continue, Earnhardt picked up 10
valuable points in their battle for the series title. Earnhardt
finished 33rd, and now leads by 113 points with five of 32 races
remaining.
Atwood, with fresher tires, took the lead from two-time former
series champion Randy LaJoie on the 192nd of 200 laps and held on
to win by three car-lengths for his second career victory, both
this season.
"It wasn't easy," Atwood said of the side-by-side battle that
lasted for a few laps after LaJoie at first sprinted away from the
first spot on the final restart. "But I knew we had fresher
tires."
So did LaJoie, a two-time winner at Dover Downs International
Speedway. He tried to harass Atwood, and said he gained immense
respect for the 19 year-old driver's ability to run hard and clean
in heavy traffic.
"There's a lot of talent in this series," LaJoie said. "Casey
Atwood is a big talent. He didn't put a mark on me."
Atwood conceded the pressure from LaJoie, who is twice his age.
"When his car would come up right behind me, I would get
loose," he said. "I knew I had to protect the low line."
Kenseth, trying to unseat Earnhardt as series champion, was
faster throughout the race on The Monster Mile. Earnhardt managed
to get by him for one lap, but later was unable to hold the low
line as he attempted to pass while exiting the high-banked second
turn on lap 120.
Earnhardt swerved to the right, hit Kenseth and sent both
spinning.
"I hope he realizes what he did," said Kenseth, who had led
all but 13 of the first 120 laps. "That was the first time he's
run into me this year."
Earnhardt, who lost his brakes in the crash, managed to limp to
his pit for repairs, and Kenseth went to the garage and wound up
38th. Earnhardt accepted responsibility for the crash.
"It was a mistake on my part," he said. "I had no business
being up there. I took him out of a race he should have won.
"I don't know if we'll be friends for long. Friends are not
supposed to do that to one another."
Jeff Green inherited the lead at that point, but gave it up to
Atwood eight laps later.
The top cars pitted under caution on lap 156, giving the lead
for the second time in the race and in his Busch career to Adam
Petty. He and four other cars remained on the track.
But not taking fresh tires took its toll on Petty, trying to
become the first fourth-generation driver to win a major NASCAR
race. Green hit him in the left rear as they contested third
position on lap 181, sending Petty hard into the turn-2 wall.
Petty, hit four times, was examined at Kent General Hospital,
then released when no injuries were found.
His father, Winston Cup star Kyle Petty, had harsh words for
Green.
"I would expect more out of Jeff Green," he said. "Maybe
that's why he doesn't have a Winston Cup ride and is in a Busch
car."
Green said Petty's attempt to run with old tires and his
aggressiveness caused the accident.
"He was just using his foot instead of his head," Green said.
"I got up under him a few times and he cut me off.
"Everybody in the stands is booing me, but I didn't hit him."
Bobby Hillin's car caught on fire after the crash, but he was
not injured.
The muilticar accident caused NASCAR to halt the race for track
cleanup, setting up the final battle for the victory.
Green was third, followed by Tony Raines and Winston Cup driver
Kenny Irwin. The top five, with the exception of Ford driver Irwin,
were in Chevrolets.
Atwood, who collected $40,775 from a purse of $692,877, averaged
91.382 mph in a race slowed eight times by 50 laps of caution.
There were 12 lead changes among six drivers.
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