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Kyle Busch Edges Tony Stewart To Win Bud Shootout

After nearly crashing twice, Kyle Busch edged out Tony Stewart by .005 to clam his first victory in the Bud Shootout and the first win for Toyota in the preseason event. It is the closest victory in event history and the fifth win for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Marcos Ambrose, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five. The top-10 was completed by Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, and Juan Pablo Montoya. Only ten drivers completed all 82 laps of the race - extended in a green-white-checker after a harrowing accident that involved Jeff Gordon and others. There were three multi-car accidents, the first occuring on lap 10 when David Ragan turned Paul Menard, triggering a melee that also involved Michael Waltrip, Matt Kenseth, and Montoya.

A second wreck halfway through the second segment collected several pre-race favorites including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, and polesitter Martin Truex Jr. The last wreck - one which saw Gordon flip for the first time in his Sprint Cup career - also involved Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, and A.J. Allmendinger.

Busch twice saved his Toyota after shooting from the track surface to the apron repeatedly. The first came after contact with Johnson, while the second ride was triggered by contact with Gordon that set up the four-time champion's harrowing ride.

Both Busch and Stewart were involved in a practice crash Friday. Stewart's team repaired his Chevrolet, while Busch won the event from the rear of the field in a backup car.

Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.