DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch finished one-two in Saturday's Nationwide auto series at the Daytona International Speedway.
It was the season-opening race on the Nationwide circuit, formerly called the Busch Series.
Stewart's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota crossed the finish line 0.259 seconds ahead of Busch, his Nationwide teammate.
Stewart's three Nationwide victories have all been at Daytona (2005, 2006, 2008). He is the first Nationwide driver to win a race from the pole position and it was his third season-opening win.
"Once we got up front, it actually helped my car turn," he said, referring to early problems that cost him the lead.
On the final lap, Busch blocked Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last-ditch attempt to improve his position in what turned out to be a three-way battle in the end.
Earnhardt, Brian Vickers and Matt Kenseth completed the top five finishers.
