The Snap On Tools 200, the 10th of 18 races of the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series was won by the #70 of Kurt Busch. Coming in second was Mark Reed followed by Kenny Shepherd, Chris Hart and Bryan Germone rounded out the top-5.
The race began with Bryan Germone on the pole with team mate and car owner Steve Petty on his side. Busch moved into second on the second lap as Petty dropped back. The #20 of Jim Inglebright moved up to take over second on the following lap, dropping Busch to third.
By the 11th lap, Inglebright moved into the front spot ahead of Germone and then Busch got by Germone to take second. #46 Matt Crafton dropped out with a blown engine by lap 15. #31 Rudy Revak got into the back of #99 Greg Pursley in turn 11 and Pursley spun out. Revak lost a lot of time getting restarted with Pursley's car sitting in front of him. #12 Rick Allison went off track and into the tire wall in turn 2, bringing out a waving yellow flag. He was able to get his car loose and rejoin the race. A full course yellow came out on lap 19 when #3 Wes Banks came to a stop on the track near the pit entrance.
The running order under the yellow flag was Inglebright, Busch Hubert, Kraus, Pursley, Petty, Lusk, Dyer, Hart and Maronski in the top-ten. Germone came into the pits for tires and dropped off the lead group.
The green flag came back out to start lap 22. #39 Carson Woods spun out coming out of turn 11 and stalled, bringing out another full course yellow on lap 23. Before the yellow came out the leaders swapped some positions with #30 Tom Hubert taking over the lead, followed by # 20 Inglebright, #99 Pursley, #42 Brandon Kraus, and #01 Steve Petty. Hubert, who had the pole in this race last year, started today's race from the 17th position on the grid. The green flag came back out to start lap 26. Cars 46 engine, 74 transmission and 34 overheating were out of the race by this point. #20 Inglebright came in for four tires with green flag pit stop. Hubert came into the pits on lap 29 giving the lead to Pursley. Damon Lusk moved to the front on lap 30 as Pursley came in for tires. After 30, the order was Lusk, Germone, Busch, Joanides, Hill, Nash, Reed, Petty, Young, Bright.
Pit stops continued with Inglebright coming back in for tires, just a few laps since his last top. Germone, running in second radioed his crew that he was set to go the distance on fuel. He said his car is handling great and he did not anticipate any more pit stops. After 33 laps, the halfway point in the race, the order was Lusk, Germone, Busch, Nash, Reed, Petty Joanides, Young, Bright, and Shepherd.
Germone moved to the front on the next lap as Lusk came in for tires. Busch held on to second with reed in third. Busch moved past Germone on lap 34 to take away the lead. Hubert came back in the pits on lap 35 with a bent wheel. #88 Rocky Nash went off track in turn two on lap 36 bringing out a full course yellow. Young, Bright, Holmes, Hill, Maronski. Germone and Petty pitted for tires on lap 37 under yellow. #31 Rudy Revak came in behind a tow truck with front-end damage.
With pit stops completed, the running order for the green flag restart to start lap 41 was Busch, Reed, Shepherd, Busch had a lapped car between his car and the rest of the leaders on the restart and began working around the #12 car of Rick Allison. Another full course yellow came out on lap 43, with Car #10 Nick Joanides stalled on the exit of turn 11.
Germone and Revak came into the pits before they were officially opened and will be put at the back of the field. Germone went back out and will have to return to replace a flat tire on the right front wheel.
Germone came back in again to the pits before they were opened to change his tire. He will still be subject to the penalty of being placed at the back of the field.
The green flag came back out to start lap 45 with Busch leading Reed, Shepherd, Holmes, Maronski, Petty, Lusk, Hubert, Hart and Young.
#63 Holmes went off track in turn three and dropped back from the leaders. #99 Greg Pursley was running a lap down, but running with the leaders. He made passes in turn 11 on laps 46 and 47 to move up behind the leader Busch. Pursley unlapped himself on the next lap, passing Busch in turn 11. Inglebright, also a lap down, is moving through the lead pack, trying to get himself back on the lead lap. Inglebright made the pass on Busch to get on the lead lap in turn 11 on lap 50
The running order to start lap 51 was Busch, Hubert, Reed, Petty Shepherd, Lusk, Hart, Maronski, McCarthy and Young. Inglebright came in contact with another car and dropped back behind the leader to get back down a lap. By the end of lap 54, Busch was beginning to open a gap between his car and Hubert in second. Reed was pressuring Hubert for the number two spot.
After 54 laps, the running order was Busch, Hubert, Reed, Petty, Shepherd, Hart, Lusk, McCarthy, Maronski, and Germone.
Busch continued to hold a small margin over Hubert, who was still seeing Reed in his mirror. Petty was a bit further back. From Shepherd in fifth on back, the rest of the leaders were off the pace of the front runners.
A full course yellow came out on lap 59 when cars #18 John Baker and #31 Rudy Revak came in contact, with Bakers car ending up on the roof.
With 60 laps complete, the running order was Busch, Hubert, Reed, Petty, Shepherd, Hart, Lusk McCarthy, Germone and Maronski.
The green flag came back out to start lap 63 leaving two laps remaining in the race. On the restart, Hubert developed some kind of problem and pulled off the racing line as the field drove by.
Busch pulled away in front with a tight battle for second between Reed and Petty. Petty went off track in turn Seven and lost a couple of positions.
At the finish, it was Busch in front with Reed and Petty following.
Kurt Busch said in his post race interview "we had no idea we were coming here to win, but after qualifying third we changed our attitude." Regarding his contact with Jim Inglebright late in the race. "I was just trying to keep the 30 car (Tom Hubert) behind me. I just came into the turn too hot and it got loose and I slid up into Inglebright. I didn't do it on purpose, but I had to keep Hubert behind me.
Mark Reed said of his second place finish, "The guys called perfect pit stops. We didn't' have enough for Kurt, but we had a good second place car."
Third place finisher, Kenny Shepherd, who sponsored Kurt Busch with his Inside Lines Apparel and in car camera said, "I just want to congratulate Kurt on his win. He's a great driver and did a great job.
Jim Inglebright said about the contact with Busch, "I didn't even see him coming. He just drove into me. I don't know if he was looking back at the 30 car or what. I guess it's easier t make the turn using eight tires instead of four."
The race was 68.757 miles per hour, a race record
1 70 KURT BUSCH CHEVROLET 64
2 04 MARK REED CHEVROLET 64
3 9 KENNY SHEPHERD CHEVROLET 64
4 5 CHRIS HART CHEVROLET 64
5 02 BRYAN GERMONE CHEVROLET 64
6 01 STEVE PETTY FORD 64
7 40 DAMON LUSK CHEVROLET 64
8 65 JEFF HILL CHEVROLET 64
9 21 TERRY MCCARTHY CHEVROLET 64
10 99 GREG PURSLEY CHEVROLET 64
