Darlington Raceway in South Carolina has many nicknames, among them “the track too tough to tame.” Sunday, Ricky Craven in the Tide Pontiac and Kurt Busch in the Rubbermaid Ford showed the crowd that the “lady in black” could be tamed.
It looked like it would be a crashfest early in the race as it took only seven laps to see the first caution of the day. It also looked like Dale Earnhardt Junior would be the car to beat as he took the early lead and put the Budweiser Chevrolet out in front by about five seconds. Earnhardt Junior stayed out in front until the third caution came out and he pitted, bringing him back out in the fifth spot. Other cars seemed to adjust to the track better and Earnhardt Junior never was able to challenge for the lead after leading for seventy-seven laps. Six-time Darlington winner Jeff Gordon in the Dupont Chevrolet was the next driver to look like a dominator, leading and staying out front throughout the middle of the race. Gordon held the lead until Mark Martin in the Viagra Ford worked his way through the field and took the lead, holding it for the most laps earning him the five bonus points for laps led. Martin looked like he would be the favorite to win the race until the seventh and final caution late in the race when his crew left two lug nuts off the wheels and Martin had to return to pit road, taking him back to eleventh and out of the running for the win. Gordon and pole sitter Elliott Sadler in the M&M’s Ford put on a great show, but used up their tires too early, and when Sadler tried to make a pass on Gordon, Kurt Busch shot to the inside and took the lead. Gordon had more problems as he scraped the wall and went to the back from there, eventually hitting the wall hard and having to pit, he would finish in thirty-third.
Once Gordon and Sadler were out of the way, Ricky Craven, who had been quiet for most of the day came streaking up to the back bumper of Busch. Busch could hold off the Tide Pontiac driver everywhere but in turn three and four, where Craven got a good run on the leader. The two came down the front stretch and got together going into turn one with two laps to go. Craven got in front of Busch, but the two cars got together and Busch gave Craven a tap on the back, and then shot down to the inside taking the lead. It looked like Busch would drive away, but Craven took his time and moved back up on the back bumper down the back straight and then made his move in turn three. Craven moved to the outside of Busch and then shot his car down to the inside as they headed for the finish line. Both cars came together several times with tire smoke belching out of each car and it was hard to tell who would come across first, but when it was all said and done, Craven took the race by the closest margin since NASCAR started using electronic timing, .002 of a second. It was the sixth time in Darlington history that a last lap pass for the win had happened.
This was the first win for Pontiac in the 2003 season, and the fifth different winner of the young season. Dave Blaney had another great run in the Jasper Engines Ford to finish in third, his best finish of his career. Mark Martin drove his way back to fourth after his pit woes, with Michael Waltrip finishing fifth after having to start in the rear of the field. Dale Earnhardt Junior continued his rise back to the top with a sixth place finish and Elliot Sadler took seventh. Points leader Matt Kenseth held on for eighth after an early crash with Jamie McMurray, and Awesome Bill Elliott held the flag for the wiley veterans in ninth. Last seasons champion, Tony Stewart finished out the top ten.
The Busch Grand National and Winston Cup schedule brings the series to Bristol Tennessee next Saturday and Sunday. Always and exciting race on the half mile track, you won’t want to miss it.

… read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.

... read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.