Fedewa Pulls Out Victory

Jim Greenidge

Sunday, May 14, 2000 | 4 a.m.

LOUDON, N.H. - Saturday's Busch 200 Grand National race at New Hampshire International Speedway came down to the final three laps, as the red flag came out after Dick Trickle's car caught fire and Ted Christopher spun into the wall in Lap 194.

But that was OK with pole sitter Tim Fedewa, who took the lead on the restart and went on to capture his fourth Busch Series victory and $42,060, a day after the tragic death of driver Adam Petty during a practice run at the track.

Fedewa held the lead most of the way, from Lap 16 through Lap 130. After the restart, Fedewa raced to the front again, making a move to the inside off Turn 3 in Lap 198 and passing points leader Jeff Green.

There were five lead changes and 10 cars had to drop out in a race before 24,000 spectators, a few thousand fewer than normal. Kevin Harvick led until Lap 15, Fedewa was in command from 16 to 130, followed by Buckshot Jones from 131 to 191 and Steve Park from 192 to 197.

"I knew I didn't want to lose," said Fedewa, the 14th different Busch winner at NHIS. "I became more aggressive than I usually have been.

"I know Jeff is upset with me, but Jeff was quite clean. I was very concerned about No. 10 (Green). I went low and went around Jeff, while Casey (Atwood) and Steve (Park) both ran out of gas."

With 80 laps remaining, Fedewa pitted. He didn't get back into the top 10 again until Lap 160, when he raced into seventh.

"It was a real good race for me, I led most of the race," Fedewa said. "And then I pitted, getting new tires. The tires worked out well for me, though. I feel good about our team and we're on the same page."

Green finished second, taking home $35,385, and remained atop the Busch Series standings with 1,793 points. Green was taken aback by Fedewa's maneuver, one he thought was dangerous.

"I was trying to protect my point lead and he went by me, I guess because he's not in the point battle," Green said. "I was quite disappointed with that."

Jason Keller came in third, good for a check of $28,725. Jimmie Johnson was the top rookie, finishing 13th and earning $13,950.

It was Fedewa's first Busch victory since winning in South Boston, Va., July 25, 1998.

It had been a tough season for Fedewa, who had had no top-10 finishes coming into the race. He was 30th in the points standings and even failed to qualify for a race last month in Los Angeles. "When you have a bad day, you go home," Fedewa said. "But we've changed things in this car, making it work, after we had a terrible car at one point."

But he wasn't just looking for improvement.

"I came into this race wanting a top-10 finish badly," said Fedewa, whose previous best finish at NHIS was a sixth in 1993. "And I wound up doing better, getting the win."