LONG POND, Pa., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Kurt Busch led 175 of 200 laps Sunday while winning the Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup race at the Pocono Raceway 4.132 seconds ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The victory was Busch's first of the season and 16th of his Nextel Cup career.
Earnhardt Jr. was the pole sitter for the 43-car field racing 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway tri-oval.
Busch was 6.906 seconds ahead of Earnhardt Jr., through lap 25. He led until he pitted for tires and fuel on lap 33, but after all cars had cycled through he again took his place as race leader.
With 90 laps to go, the margin was 7.886 seconds. By lap 165 the lead was 3.888 seconds over Earnhardt Jr. and eight seconds ahead of Jeff Gordon, who was in third place.
Pete Hamlin, Gordon and Jimmie Johnson completed the top five.
