#5-Kyle Busch won the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway for his 2nd win of 2005 and his career. Busch is the 4th ‘Lucky Dog’ driver to win a race, he was a lap doen when he had a tire go down early in the race and got the Lucky Dog pass on the next caution. So even with Kurt Busch suspendced and not in the race, he Busch brothers swept the races at Phoenix in 2005, Kurt winning the spring event. #16-Greg Biffle dominated early in the race and led 189 of the 312 laps but came up short and finished 2nd. #24-Jeff Gordon finished 3rd and is still winless at Phoenix. #20-Tony Stewart finished 4th and increased his points lead to 52 over #48-Jimmie Johnson, who finished 7th. #18-Bobby Labonte rounded out the top-5. #7-Robby Gordon put his DEI to good use and finished 8th for his 2nd top-10 of the season and #77-Travis Kvapil finished 10th for his 2nd top 10. #97-Kenny Wallace [that looks weird] subbed for suspended Kurt Busch and finished 16th. #11-Denny Hamlin, the pole sitter, led 23 laps and finished 13th. Four drivers are still eligible for the 2005 Nextel Cup Champion [as long as Stewart runs the race]: #20-Stewart (leader), #48-Johnson (-52), #99-Edwards (-87), #16-Biffle (-102). If Stewart finished 9th of better, nothing any other driver can do to stop Stewart from winning it at Homestead. There were only 9 cautions for 44 laps and 5 drivers led laps with 10 lead changes.
For my race rundown, laps led, DNF’s, caution info, Lucky Dogs and some notes, see my Phoenix Race Info/Rundown Page.
