DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The car Kyle Busch was driving might as well have been as wide as the mighty Mississippi, because there was no passing the No. 5 Chevrolet.
Busch ended a yearlong skid in the Busch Series, holding off Kevin Harvick in a two-lap overtime to win Saturday’s Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona Int’l Speedway. Busch hadn’t won since March 2006 in Bristol, Tenn. — a span of 36 races. He dominated the early part of February’s race here, leading 46 laps before fuel-pressure problems soured his day.
“We finally get one,” Busch said. “This is where it all started this year and we ended up missing out on it, but we got it back here today.”
Following the race, NASCAR confiscated the front springs on the No. 5 and is taking them to its research and development center in Concord, N.C., for examination. The total spring rate on the right and left front did not meet the minimum of 3,000 pounds. Any penalties were expected earlier this week.
Busch led four times for 65 laps and first took the point with a risky move exiting pit road. He swerved into the grass following a round of pit stops on lap 20 and passed Clint Bowyer and Kyle Krisiloff for his first lead of the race. After further review, NASCAR did not penalize the No. 5 car but warned Busch not to do it again.
“There were guys in the outside lane going 30 miles per hour,” Busch said, “and I had to go so I could get out and get up front.”

OH YEAH! Kyle Busch gives a thumbs up after taking the checkered flag Saturday morning at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Kory L. Hales Photo)

Harvick finished second in a Chevrolet. He and the Toyota of third-place Dave Blaney ganged up on Busch several times, but Busch’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevy led the final 26 laps and survived a green-white-checkered finish.
“I don’t think anybody would have been able to keep up with us,” Busch said.
“I never lifted the whole day. I was able to keep it wide open.”
Saturday’s race began at 9 a.m. in far cooler conditions compared to Thursday’s practice. Add in the fact that Friday night’s rain postponed the race and washed the track clean, maybe that was the reason Harvick’s car was so squirrelly.
“My car was dead sideways when the race started,” said Harvick, who also battled fender and alternator problems. “Even when we were out front, it was so loose I could hardly lead by myself. My car was extremely loose. It was hard to stay right on his bumper. I got to the outside, but that was as far as I could go.”
Tony Stewart was fourth, and Bowyer completed the top five. Carl Edwards, the point leader, finished 11th after starting from the rear of the field because of an engine change.