Kevin Harvick Wins One Wild Budweiser Shootout

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- Talk about a shootout. Theyll be talking about this one for years to come. Kevin Harvick drove his Richard Childress Chevrolet to the front of the field on the very last lap Saturday night to capture one of the wildest Budweiser Shootouts in the history of Daytona International Speedway. Harvick cruised across the finish line after a split-second crash behind him and runner-up Jamie McMurray wiped out a group of contenders, including defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, contenders Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers, as well as Casey Mears and pole-sitter Paul Menard. The stage was set for a 190-mile-an-hour showdown. when a caution fell with three laps remaining in the two-part 75-lap race. David Stremme nipped Greg Biffle coming out of turn four sending Biffle into the outside wall. Biffle had to realize it just wasnt his night since he had been a victim of several other miscues by various drivers earlier in the race. When the green flag fell for a green/white/checkered finish, McMurray was leading with Harvick second. Harvick ducked low coming out of turn two on the final lap and passed McMurray. By the time Harvick got to turn three, all heck broke loose behind him. Johnson was tapped by someone, who was tapped by someone else and the next thing you knew, cars were spinning all over the place with smoke covering the track like a late-night campfire. When it cleared, the bright yellow No. 29 of Harvick was home free. Trailing the winner and runnerup was Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, two former champions who gave it their all to win. AJ Allmindinger was fifth, followed by Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. This was one of those races you absolutely had to watch every minute of every lap because drivers swapped the lead faster than you can imagine. Lap 26, Edwards leads. A couple of laps later, Kahnes in front. Then Gordon takes the lead. Then McMurray. Next thing you know, Hamlins out front. Then Kyle Busch. Then fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. streaks to the front. The lead changed so fast, the announcers had a hard time talking that fast. Matt Kenseth took a turn in front, as did Vickers, until it came down to the end. It was a night every manufacturer could brag a little about because every different make had its moment at the front of the pack. Paul Menard drew the pole position for the start of the two-segment, non-points race. Menard, however, fell back after one lap in front, and Denny Hamlin charged to the lead. The fireworks started on lap four when cars checked up in front of David Ragan, who was turned sideways, triggering a multi-car spin that involved Mears, Robby Gordon, Joey Logano, Scott Speed and Greg Biffle. Jeff Gordon zig-zagged through the accident, moving his DuPont Chevy back and forth dodging cars like he was playing hopscotch on the high-banked pavement. The race restarted on Lap 8 with Earnhardt out front. He was followed by Elliott Sadler on the outside and Hamlin on the inside. Sadler broke free and went to the front on Lap 10 with Hamlin in tow. Kurt Busch was next with Tony Stewart fourth. Stewart took the lead on lap 13 and Carl Edwards had roared into second. NASCARs best drivers were duking it out as though it were the last lap of the Daytona 500 and the fans were loving it. By Lap 17, Edwards was in front with Hamlin second. Allmindinger shoved his Dodge into the second spot a couple of laps later, and Johnson drove his Chevy into the ring, moving from back in the pack to third place. Jeff Gordon was in fourth. McMurray showed his hand on Lap 21 by moving into the top five. On Lap 22, Hamlin made contact with David Reutimann, who gathered up David Stremme. Both Reutimann and Stremme plowed sideways off through the dirt on the inside of the backstretch but managed to keep their machines off the retaining wall. At the end of the first segment at 25 laps, Edwards was first with McMurray second. Johnson was third, followed by Kahne, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Vickers, Gordon, Allmindinger and Earnhardt. Logano, Robbie Gordon and Ragan were done for the night.