Busch Wins at Daytona – Sprint Cup Series

Under the dimming lights of Central Florida’s most famous beach, Kyle Bush survived a caution-filled Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night leading Carl Edwards on a white-flag lap to win at Daytona and claim his career best sixth victory in the Sprint Cup Series.

A year ago at Daytona, Busch finished second to Jamie McMurray in the midsummer classic.

On Saturday night though, Bush led Edwards just enough in Turn 2 when Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Travis Kvapil, and Sam Hornish Jr. combined for a crash in Turn 1 finishing the race and declaring victory for Bush.

“Man, I can’t believe that we’re here right now,” said Busch. “We didn’t have the best car tonight, but these guys never gave up and we never gave up on the racetrack. Luckily, we were leading when it mattered most when the caution came out.”

As if writing a Sprint Cup Series saga, Busch found himself in another race where his car would be tested if he were to beat the NASCAR odds and win at Daytona. The #18 neon green Interstate Batteries Toyota was hit by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin and dropped Busch all the way back to 37th on Lap 82.

However, instead of losing the car into the wall, Busch regrouped and muscled his way through the field to lead with four laps to go.

“It’s me who has to stay a little calm and get back in the rhythm of what was going on,” Busch remarked about his issues with restrictor-plate tracks. “I just made sure I drove a smart race and finished it out, and whatever came to us would come to us.”

After the multi-car crash in Turn 1 involving Waltrip, Blaney, Kvapil and Hornish Jr. with just over a lap remaining, the caution flag came out and froze the field. NASCAR needed to review the running order when the final caution came out for some time but eventually declared Bush the winner.

“Man, I hate to lose the thing like that,” Edwards said. “I wish we could have raced a little longer.”

Matt Kenseth, Edwards’ teammate at Roush Fenway Racing, finished third in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona followed by Kurt Busch, Roush driver David Ragan and Robby Gordon. Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin rounded out the top 10.

With almost half the Sprint Cup season behind us, it is time to start looking for valuable NASCAR odds to win the Sprint Cup Series. BetUs.com has Kyle Bush at 5/2, Jimmie Johnson at 6/1 and Carl Edwards at 6 to 1 in NASCAR odds for betting the 2008 Sprint Cup Series.