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| | Thursday, September 30 | |||||
| Results
LAS VEGAS -- Greg Biffle drove to his NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series-record ninth victory of the season Friday night, holding
off a charging Jack Sprague to win The Orleans 250 at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway.
Biffle became the first driver in series history to win nine
races in one season. It was his sixth win in the last eight
races and increased his lead in the standings to 130 points over
Sprague.
"That ninth win was a real goal that we shot for and we were
able to get it," Biffle said.
Biffle started on the pole and was in the lead when the race was
restarted with 15 laps to go after Scott Hansen's crash brought
out the caution flag. Sprague, who led early portions of the
race, tried to track down Biffle's Ford in the closing laps.
The battle was reminiscent of last year's race when Sprague and
Ron Hornaday battled for both the race win and the series title.
Sprague won the race but Hornaday won the title.
With 10 laps to go, Biffle and Sprague began a side-by-side
battle for the lead, banging several times before Biffle was
able to pull ahead. Sprague wasn't through as he closed on the
leader with seven laps to go.
A caution flag waved with six laps remaining when a piece of
debris flew off Joe Ruttman's Dodge and into the middle of the
track.
The green flag flew with four laps remaining and Biffle leading
Sprague and Hornaday in a tight, three-truck battle. With a
two-truck length lead over Sprague, Biffle was able to maintain
the lead to the checkered flag.
"It was strategy after strategy," Biffle said. "The guys on the
crew decided to go with a four-tire stop and that allowed us to
stay out when everybody else had to pit at the end of the race.
The whole team did a great job and I'm just excited.
Sprague was gunning for his third series win at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.
"It was one of those deals, I couldn't ask for a better truck,
that's one of the best we have had all year, but it just didn't
happen," Sprague said.
| ALSO SEE Biffle's win stands; penalty is points, cash
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