#14-Casey Atwood saw it. #55-Robby Gordon wanted it. #8-Martin Truex Jr. decided it. While racing for the lead on Lap 236 of 250, Truex Jr. slid up into Atwood, then the leader, through Turns 3 and 4, and as they moved up the track, Gordon dashed below and into the lead. Gordon then spent the final 15 laps of Friday night’s Emerson 250 at Richmond International Raceway holding off repeated charges by Atwood to retake the lead. Gordon crossed the finish line .177 seconds ahead of Atwood, who remained right on his rear bumper. The win is Gordon’s first in the NASCAR Busch Series [24 starts]. He has been running a partial schedule this season with the #55 Fruit of the Loom Chevrolets he owns. Atwood was looking for his first NASCAR win since the 1999 season, when he won two Busch events. He took control on Lap 153 and led 83 laps before the incident with Truex and the pass by Gordon. Truex, whose third place finish helped extend his series points lead to 105 over nearest rival #5-Kyle Busch, felt bad about the incident with Atwood after the race. “I kind of cost him the win and I kind of feel like an idiot,” said Truex. “But with 10 laps to go, you got to race for the lead.” #00-Jason Leffler finished fourth and Busch completed the top-five. Pole winner #38-Kasey Kahne led the first 152 laps but fell behind after a four-time pit stop on Lap 153 that put him back in 14th on the restart. The race was slowed 10 times by caution for 67 laps. There were two lead changes among three different drivers.(ThatsRacin.com), the 2nd place was also Atwood’s first top five sine he won at Dover in 1999.
For race results, see:
ThatsRacin.com
BGNRacing.com
MotorsportsOne
NASCAR.com.(9-10-2004)
