NAPA 500 notebook: LV’s Busch fights hard, finishes 13th

Monday, April 30, 2001 | 10:08 a.m.

FONTANA, Calif. -- It is doubtful Kurt Busch ever worked so hard for a 13th-place finish.

The 22-year-old Las Vegas native twice had to battle to get back on the lead lap in Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway.

Busch fell a lap off the pace before the race had even started when he was forced to pit during the parade laps with a flat tire on his Roush Racing Ford Taurus. His crew topped off his fuel tank when he came in for tires and was assessed a one-lap penalty because NASCAR rules prohibit refueling before the green flag.

Busch fought his way onto the lead lap on lap 154, only to lose a lap 17 laps later when the wheel weights fell off his right-front tire and he was forced to make a green-flag pit stop.

Busch, who was matching times with the leaders all race, finally got back on the lead lap when a caution flag came out on lap 207. He pitted two laps later, came out in 22nd place and eventually worked his way up to 13th.

"What a wonderful day it was at California Speedway," Busch said sarcastically. "I'm glad this race is 500 miles, that's for sure. We had a lot of ups and downs and started two laps behind, basically, but we just kept digging.

"For coming from two laps down to finishing on the lead lap in 13th wasn't a bad day. I have to thank (race winner) Rusty Wallace for letting me get back on the lead lap and all the veterans up front for letting me play with them and gain some experience (running) up towards the front."

Jeff Gordon, a three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion and a two-time race winner at California Speedway, was impressed with Busch's run.

"That was a hell of a run," Gordon told Busch after the race. "You really worked hard for that one."

Busch said he knew he faced an uphill battle after losing a lap before the race had even started, but he said he tried not to think about it.

"This track is notorious for (long) green-flag runs so it was just going to be a long day where I had to focus on my line," he said. "When I pulled onto the racetrack, I didn't see a single car and within 10 laps, I started seeing the tail-end of the field and we came right to them."

For the third time this season, Busch was the highest finishing rookie in the race and moved into first place in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year points standings. He also climbed from 24th to 21st in the championship points standings.

Gaughan, who qualified eighth, didn't lead in the race until he passed 19-year-old Jon Wood on lap 98 of the 100-lap race. "For years I've been saying that I love the big tracks, but we haven't won on one," Gaughan said. "Wood was running pretty good but I got some traffic help and was able to draft to him."

Wood, making only his second Winston West start, is the grandson of legendary NASCAR team owner Glen Wood.