‘Confidence in the Team Keeps Busch Upfront’

After a rainy start to the weekend at the Auto Club Speedway, Kyle Busch brought home the first win of the 2008 season for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the No. 51 Opportunity California, San Bernardino County, Toyota Tundra NASCAR Craftsman truck.

Busch who was fast in both practice sessions on Thursday at the 2-mile intermediate race track, had to start in the 20th place position after rain forced the grid to be set by 2007 owner points.

Busch immediately made his way through the field and had the seventh place position on the track when the first caution flew on lap five. Busch who had complained that the truck was a little tight in the center of the corners but loose off pitted on lap 14 under the second caution of the day taking on four tires with an air pressure and track bar adjustment on the Tundra. Busch went back out onto the track shuffling to the 8th place for the restart on lap 17. Busch like the rocket he was had already cleared four trucks picking up the fourth place position on lap 18. By lap 23, Busch had taken the lead from fellow Toyota driver Todd Bodine keeping that position until lap 57.

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Weather Waits for Win in Fontana for Billy Ballew after Kyle Busch posts the teams first victory in 2008.

Photo:  Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

For Marc Mitchell, the combination of long green flag runs and a sub-par starting position made for a long day at the California Speedway.  Over the course of the San Bernardino 200, the field became too spread out on the two-mile oval for the Ergon Chevy hunt down the lead pack.  Still, Mitchell drove from the back to capture a 20th place finish.

Friday’s qualifying session was cancelled due to rain.  The field was set according to last season’s owners points, which put Mitchell 31st on the starting grid.

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After a long day of rain the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying was canceled placing the starting line-up by 2007 team owner points.

Marc Mitchell in the No. 15 Hyprene Ergon Chevrolet Silverado will start in the 29th place position with Kyle Busch in the No. 51 Opportunity California, San Bernardino County Toyota Tundra in the 20th place position on the starting grid.

National live televised broadcast to begin on Fox at 11:30am PT (2:30pm ET).