Kyle Busch won the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, scoring his third NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 61st career start. All three of Buschs victories have occurred on a superspeedway.
Busch scored his first victory in 2006. His last win came at Phoenix last November 2005, 20 races ago.
This was Buschs first victory and second top-five finish in three races at New Hampshire.
Busch scored his 10th top-10 finish in 19 races this season, including top-five finishes in the last three. He has scored five straight top-15 finishes.
Busch climbed from eighth to fourth in the point standings, the highest points position of his 61-race career.
Busch led five times for 107 laps including the final 69, leading the most laps for the first time in 2006 and the second time in his career laps. He also led the most laps at California in September 2005, when he scored his careerfirst victory.
This is team owner Rick Hendricks 146th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Hendrick has scored six victories in 2006. It also is Hendricks sixth victory at New Hampshire International Speedway tying Jack Roush for the most.
Hendrick Motorsports has won at least one race each season 1986-2006, 21 consecutive years. Notebook Items
Carl Edwards (second) scored his ninth top-10 finish in 2006 and his first top-10 finish in four races at New Hampshire.
Greg Biffle (third) scored his 10th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at New Hampshire and his third straight top-five finish here. Biffle climbed from 11th to 10th in the point standings, 11 points ahead of 11th-place Tony Stewart.
Mark Martin (fourth) scored his ninth top-10 finish in 2006. This was his 13th top-10 in 23 races at New Hampshire. He has scored top-15 finishes in his last five races at New Hampshire.
Kevin Harvick (fifth) scored his 10th top-10 finish 19 races in 2006, including the last three races. It is his sixth top- 10 finish in 11 races at New Hampshire. Harvick extended a 31-race streak of running at the finish that began at California last September, the longest current streak.
Jeff Burton (seventh) scored his 12th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his 13th straight top-15 finish extending a streak that began at Texas in April. It marked his 10th top-10 finish in 23 races at New Hampshire.
Jimmie Johnson (ninth) posted his 15th top-10 finish in 2006, the most of all drivers. He remained first in the point standings, now 68 points ahead of second-place Matt Kenseth. Johnson has been ranked among the top 10 for 88 consecutive races. Johnson has scored nine straight top-15 finishes at New Hampshire.
Denny Hamlin (sixth) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 2006.
Matt Kenseth (14th) ended a streak of seven straight top-10 finishes at New Hampshire.
Kurt Busch (38th) ended a streak of five straight top-10 finishes that began at Pocono.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (43rd) ended a streak of three straight top-10 finishes at New Hampshire.
At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 19 races this season.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(7-16-2006)
