Nationwide Series – Sam’s Town 300 Recap 2/27/10

Kevin Harvick played his cards right to win the rain-delayed Sam’s Town 300 Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway!

photo credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

This time around, we saw the fastest car win. After leading the first 57 laps, Harvick had to overcome two very slow pit stops that sent him back in the field. “You look like a bunch of idiots on pit road,” Harvick said over the radio to his team after the first bad stop.

No problem for the two-time former series champion, he made it back out in front with 24 to go. Harvick led twice for a race-high 82 of the 200 laps.

“The car was really fast,” Harvick said in victory lane. “We’ve definitely got some work to do on pit road, but, fortunately, the car was fast enough. I get mad, and they (the crew) know how I am and what I expect of them. but you can only gripe about it so long, and then you have to go back and drive the car.”

Runner-up finisher Denny Hamlin led 29 laps, himself. Carl Edwards led twice for 28 laps and went home third. Polesitter Brad Keselowski finished fourth followed by Brian Vickers, Trevor Bayne, Justin Allgaier, Paul Menard, Greg Biffle and Steve Wallace completing the top-10.

It was frustration for Kyle Busch at his hometown track. Cameras caught him exiting the track alone after climbing from his car. He looked dominant throughout much of the race and was out in front on three occasions for a total of 43 laps. The troubles for Busch seemed to start during a pit stop after a caution on lap 119. His team was slow to get him back on the track and cost him the lead. While trying to make it back to the front, Busch bounced his #18 Toyota off the wall prompting him to tell his crew that he thought he was done. Busch backed up slightly and finished 16th.

And what about Danica Patrick?

She made her last NASCAR start until June so she can focus on driving in the IndyCar racing league. During the rain delay, Patrick seemed much more confident and relaxed than she has ever been before a NASCAR start while talking with media. As the story goes, she was asking Harvick for advice before the race.

photo credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

After starting 37th, Patrick was up on the wheel. She made it as high as third, before her day ended on lap 86. While racing beside the lapped car of Michael McDowell, the two collided.

“I guess I should have noticed the tape on his left-rear bumper. I probably shouldn’t have been near his left-rear bumper,” Patrick said. “Sure enough, he turned down and took us both out. What are you going to do? It was a real bummer because I was really hooked up out there because we had new tires on it and I was probably one of the quicker cars on the track.” Patrick finished 36th.

“I guess she was coming out on new tires, and the closing rate was so fast,” McDowell said. “I tried to give the outside, I saw her coming into it and I closed the door. It was completely 100 percent my fault. I hate it for everyone at JR Motorsports. Like I said, I take 100 percent responsibility.”

18 cars finished on the lead lap. There were 8 cautions for 39 laps and 14 lead changes among 10 drivers: Brad Keselowski 0; K. Harvick 1-57; K. Busch 58; G. Biffle 59; Brad Keselowski 60; C. Edwards 61-64; S. Riggs 65; J. Townley 66-75; K. Busch 76-85; B. Vickers 86; K. Busch 87-118; B. Gaughan 119-122; C. Edwards 123-146; D. Hamlin 147-175; K. Harvick 176-200

For the (unofficial) race results, click here.

Carl Edwards continues to lead the point standings. He’s currently 41 points ahead of second-place driver, Brad Keselowski.

The Nationwide Series will be off until Bristol -- Saturday, March 20th.