Having been made to wait until a Tuesday for the first time in NASCAR's 'modern era', Kurt Busch duly claimed a second win in three races at the rain-delayed 3M Performance 400 in Michigan.
Split by Tony Stewart's success at Watkins Glen, Busch's end-of-season spurt continued with victory in a race - perhaps fittingly - that had its start and end delayed, firstly by lingering mist and then by a Greg Biffle spin that forced a green-white-chequered finish that extended the distance to 203 laps. Busch was leading the pack at that point, and had no trouble fending off Martin Truex Jr for the win. The success confirmed Busch's place among the top twelve in points with just three races remaining before the dozen Chase for the Championship candidates are confirmed.
The 2004 Cup champion didn't make it to the front until lap 101 in Michigan, but remained a contender throughout the second half of the race, leading four times for 92 laps, and took his Miller Lite Dodge to the line 0.495secs ahead of Truex for his 17th career win. The key moments came when the Penske crew opted to leave Busch on track during the two caution periods that interrupted the final 13 laps, despite the #2 Dodge running on worn tyres.
Reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson finished third, followed by Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin, all three maintaining the pressure on points leader Jeff Gordon, who suffered a disappointing morning by finishing Dave a lapped 27th. Dave Blaney claimed sixth on a relatively good day for Toyota - Brian Vickers was eighth - while June race winner Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte and Stewart rounded out the top ten.
Gordon could have been among them, having run top five early on, but succumbed to technical problems and a late spin onto a grassy infield left slick by the weekend rain.
![Kurt Busch at Indianapolis. [Pic Credit IMS Media/Dave Edelstein]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/252500.jpg)
