Busch blows it again, Scott Capitalizes

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

PHOTO CREDIT: CIA STOCK PHOTO

DOVER, Del. — Opting to stay on the track and forego fresh tires before a 10-lap run to the finish, Brian Scott won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in his 39th start Saturday at Dover International Speedway.

Though blown right-front tires plagued almost the entire field in the AAA Insurance 200 — and deprived Kyle Busch of a chance to win — Scott, Dennis Setzer, Stacy Compton and Jason White stayed out after Busch and Colin Braun each blew right fronts and hit the outside wall in the same corner on Lap 184 of 200.

Scott, 21, stayed out front for the final 10 laps and held off a closing Setzer on the final circuit. David Starr ran third, followed by White and Johnny Sauter. Busch charged from the back in the final laps to finish ninth.

“I watched all those tires blow — it was kind of scary,” Scott said. “But my crew chief (Jeff Hensley) just kept me calm and kept saying that we were getting really good tire wear. Track position at the end — we played the game perfectly, and I commend him. There were times when I didn’t think it was the right call or we were going to be in position, but it all worked out, and now we’re in victory lane, baby.”

Busch led 133 laps but fell victim to hard luck in the closing stages of the race. He had suffered a similar fate approximately three hours earlier when he lost the Nationwide Series race at Dover with a tire problem before a restart two laps from the finish.

Ron Hornaday Jr. slammed the Turn 1 wall after blowing his right front tire on Lap 34. Though Hornaday finished 26th, 157 laps down, he retained the series points lead over eighth-place finisher Mike Skinner, who trimmed Hornaday’s advantage from 84 to 27 points.

Sixth-place finisher Matt Crafton remained third in the standings, 29 points behind Hornaday.

The final 14 laps (four under caution and 10 under green) were the only laps Scott led. In six previous truck series races this season, he had led a total of eight laps. His best previous finish in the series was second last November at Homestead-Miami Speedway.