Full Throttle

Kyle Busch’s efforts for a triple race win weekend came up short at the hands of a surging Matt Kenseth who became the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 1997, and fifth overall, to win the first two events (Daytona and Rockingham) of the Sprint Cup season.

Oddly enough it was Gordon Kenseth held-off down the stretch to win - one week after the Roush Fenway Racing driver won his first Daytona 500.

Kyle Busch settled for third followed by Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch in the highest finishing Dodge.

“As many laps as were left, I honestly thought we were going to be too loose at the end, and he was going to catch us,” Kenseth said of the onrushing Gordon.

Gordon was ambivalent about the result, which showed marked improvement over last year but left him winless since October 2007.

“I think we’re head-and-shoulders above where we were,” Gordon said. “I know we’re just a couple races in, and this is one race, but I just loved the way the car was driving. To be able to battle and go to the front like that and have solid pit stops, I’m just really excited—and also really bummed out we didn’t win the race tonight.

“I went to every groove that I could possibly find, and the car just wouldn’t turn, and I knew that, with about 20 (laps) to go, that if he didn’t make a mistake, we weren’t going to get him.”

Notes: The engine and right front tire blew on Harvick’s Chevrolet on Lap 208, and he retired from the race, ending a modern-era record streak of 81 races without a DNF.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin suffered rare engine failures; they finished 39th and 40th, respectively.

Drew Blickensderfer, who graduated from the Nationwide to the Cup series this year, is 2-for-2 as Kenseth’s crew chief. Kenseth opened an 81-point lead over second-place Gordon in the Cup standings. Kurt Busch and Stewart are tied for third, 91 points behind Kenseth.