| | Associated Press
DOVER, Del. -- Matt Kenseth, tuning up for his regular ride
24 hours later, drove to an easy victory in the NASCAR Busch Series
event Saturday at Dover Downs International Speedway.
Next, he goes for the second win of his Winston Cup career on
Sunday in the MBNA.com 400. In just three starts on the Monster
Mile in NASCAR's elite division, Kenseth has three top-10 finishes
-- including second behind Tony Stewart in June.
The victory Saturday in the MBNA.com 200 was his second in Busch
competition on the high-banked concrete track where he won the fall
race in 1998. It was his third Busch win this season and 10th
overall.
"In happy hour yesterday we found something wrong with it,
something fell apart," Kenseth said of his Chevrolet. "The guys
put their heads together and put the setup back the way it was.
"We made one big adjustment the first time, and other than that
it was pretty good."
The 28-year-old driver from Cambridge, Wis., who started 14th,
took the top spot for the final time by passing the Pontiac of Dave
Blaney on the 161st of 200 laps. Kenseth then drove off to win by
1.842 seconds over Jason Keller, who prevailed at Dover in June.
"We were a little careful on the right front for a while,"
Kenseth said.
The race was run without interruption from the weather after
rain all morning. The rain cleaned all the rubber off the track,
making tire management a key.
Joe Nemechek, another of several Winston Cup regulars in the
event, was relieved to have emerged unscathed from the crash-filled
race.
"I'd rather take a fifth than all those guys who hit the
wall," he said.
Kenseth took the lead for the first time by passing Kevin Grubb
on the 65th of 200 laps. Todd Bodine got around Kenseth on the 91st
lap, but the winner went back in front on the 101st.
Keller wanted to make a late charge, but never was able.
"I drove hard there at the end, but lapped traffic got in the
way," he said. "I don't know if I could have caught him anyway."
Blaney, like Kenseth a Winston Cup rookie, took the lead on lap
137, but failed in a bid for his first Busch victory when he gave
it back 24 laps later. He wound up third, followed by Bodine.
"I hope we can use some of this information," Kenseth said,
alluding to the race Sunday. "Some of the Busch setups don't work
too well on Winston Cup cars."
Kenseth led three times for 102 laps, averaging 109.040 mph in a
race slowed four times by 28 laps of caution.
"He's just sensational," said car owner Robbie Reiser. "And
we had super, super pit stops today."
There were six lead changes among five drivers.
Series points leader Jeff Green crashed out early and wound up
42nd in a field of 43. But he maintained a 516-point lead over
Keller.
Polesitter Mike Skinner and Elton Sawyer escaped unhurt from
fiery wrecks.
Eight of the first nine finishers drove Chevys, which accounted
for all but five cars in the field.
It was the 200th victory by a Chevy in the 19 seasons of Busch
competition.
Kenseth collected $41,850 from a purse of $757,395. | |
ALSO SEE
MBNA.com 200 results
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Matt Kenseth joins John Kernan on ESPN's RPM 2Night.
RealVideo: 28.8
 A flawless car gave Matt Kenseth his third checkered flag in Busch races this season.
wav: 210 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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