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Tony Stewart led 136 of 150 laps in Monday's Nationwide Series race.

Stewart smokes field for second N'wide win in a row

Kyle Busch finishes runner-up again to Cup teammate

By Sporting News Wire Service
February 26, 2008
10:25 AM EST
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FONTANA, Calif. -- Deja vu.

For the second consecutive Nationwide Series race, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch drove their Toyotas to a 1-2 finish.

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Stater Bros. 300

Official Results
Pos. Driver Make
1. Tony Stewart Toyota
2. Kyle Busch Toyota
3. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
4. David Reutimann Toyota
5. Carl Edwards Ford
6. Jamie McMurray Ford
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet
8. Jeff Burton Chevrolet
9. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet
10. Stephen Leicht Chevrolet
• Race: Results | Videos

Unlike the Feb. 16 Camping World 300 at Daytona, where Stewart edged Busch by .259 seconds, the twice rain-delayed Stater Bros. 300 Monday at Auto Club Speedway was a landslide in Stewart's favor.

The driver of the No. 20 Camry won the race by 2.408 seconds after Busch wrested the second position from David Reutimann in a battle that lasted 30 laps. In the closing circuits, Kevin Harvick slipped past Reutimann for third place, with Reutimann maintaining fourth and Carl Edwards fifth.

All told, Stewart paced the field for 136 of the 150 laps at the 2-mile speedway. In fact, the only laps Stewart didn't lead came when Morgan Shepherd stayed on the track and led Lap 24 during a round of pit stops and when Stewart pitted from the lead on Lap 98, and the field cycled through a round of green-flag stops.

Stewart took the lead for good after a restart on Lap 111, passing Jamie McMurray moments after the cars crossed the start/finish line. From that point on, the battle was for second place.

"This car was really good in the little practice we got Saturday morning," Stewart said, referring to the intermittent rains that abbreviated practice schedules in all three of NASCAR's top series. "To lead 130-some laps of a 150-lap race is pretty impressive.

"We got lucky there at Daytona, but this is just one of those days that you can count on your fingers and toes -- having a car this good all day."

Busch could take solace in his runner-up finish after a long weekend that saw him win Saturday's San Bernardino 200 Craftsman Truck Series race and leave the track with the points lead in the Truck and Sprint Cup series (after finishing fourth in the Auto Club 500).

"Tony was pretty much in a league of his own, for some reason," Busch said. "I got two second-places to the guy who won the first two races, so what else can you do? I'm happy with it. We'll go on to Las Vegas [for Saturday's Sam's Town 300], and, hopefully, I can have another good run."

The End

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Nationwide Series

Official Standings
Pos. +/- Driver Points Behind
1. -- Tony Stewart 385 Leader
2. -- Kyle Busch 355 -30
3. +7 Carl Edwards 289 -96
4. +8 David Reutimann 281 -104
5. +15 Kevin Harvick 270 -115
6. +2 David Ragan 270 -115
7. +7 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 266 -119
8. +8 Mike Bliss 241 -144
9. +9 Jason Leffler 236 -149
10. +14 Clint Bowyer 231 -154
• Complete Standings click here

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