Joe Gibbs Driven

Points leader Johnny Benson made a valiant charge in his attempt to win his fourth consecutive NCTS race, something that has never been done before. But Benson had to settle for fourth place, behind Busch, Todd Bodine and Scott Speed. Rick Crawford completed the top five.

Second-qualifier Benson took the lead on the opening lap, as his No. 23 Exide Batteries Toyota Tundra wheeled around the No. 22 Red Bull Toyota of his Bill Davis Racing teammate Speed. On Lap 2, Busch got his Tundra past Speed into second place.

The typical short-track calamity begin on Lap 6, when Erik Darnell made contact and got a flat left-front tire in his No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150. Three laps later, the yellow flag flew for the first time as Bryan Silas spun his Rockinghamspeedway.com Chevrolet.

The track went green on Lap 14, with Benson leading Busch, Speed, Todd Bodine's No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota and the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet of reigning NCTS champion Ron Hornaday Jr. On Lap 29, Busch nearly wrecked Benson trying to pass him, and two laps later, he took the lead from the man who came into the race with three consecutive victories.

The second caution was caused by Colin Braun, who wadded up his Con-Way Freight F-150 on the inside frontstretch wall. Most of the leaders pitted on Lap 41, but NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Jimmie Johnson stayed out in his Kobalt Tools Chevrolet to take the lead over Ken Schrader, who also stayed out. Busch, Dennis Setzer's Tahoe Dodge Ram Speed and Benson followed. Johnson got away cleanly on the restart, as Busch and Setzer waged a furious battle for second.

Matt Crafton's Menards Chevrolet and Tayler Malsem's Dodge brought out the third caution as Malsem blew a tire in Turn 1 and Crafton hit him hard from behind. The track went green on Lap 64, and Busch soon was challenging for the lead, with Bodine making it a three-way lead battle. Busch took the lead on Lap 72, thanks in large part to fresher tires than Johnson had.

The fourth caution came on Lap 80, as Sean Murphy spun his ASI Limited Chevy out of Turn 4 and was collected by John Wes Townley's Zaxby's Ford, the third Roush entry to wreck before the halfway point. Johnson and Setzer were among the trucks to pit on Lap 81.

When the green flew on Lap 93, it was Busch out front, followed by Speed, Bodine, Benson and Hornaday. Johnson restarted 19th. The order stayed the same at the midpoint, with Busch leading by about 1 second. Two laps later, Johnson got loose in Turn 2, fought it all the way down the backstretch and finally went around in Turn 3, where he was collected by Jeff Green, ending his first-ever NCTS start. "I ran out of talent," Johnson said.

After the track went green on Lap 109, Hornaday passed Benson for fourth, as Busch motored off ahead of Bodine and Speed.

Murphy wrecked again in Turn 4 to bring out another yellow on Lap 118, just as Green suffered a flat tire and drove Terry Cook's wyler.com Toyota into the outside wall. Benson pitted on Lap 120, while Busch held the lead ahead of Bodine, Speed, Hornaday and Rick Crawford's Powerstroke by Diesel International Ford. Benson restarted 19th on Lap 123, and just one lap later there was a big pileup on the at the exit of Turn 2 that involved Bryan Scott's Albertsons Chevrolet, David Starr's Red Horse Racing Toyota, Stacy Compton's Dodge Dealers Dodge and the Dodge of Timothy Peters.

After another restart, Busch held the point, as Benson slowly started to move through the field, advancing to 11th place by the time the eighth caution came out on Lap 146 for another Silas crash. The top five remained Busch, Bodine, Speed, Hornaday and Crawford. By Lap 157, Benson was up to eighth place.

The ninth caution was a big one in more ways than one.

Jon Wood's Barnhill Group Ford hit the hapless Silas, who spun and wrecked in Turn 1 with Shelby Howard's Bobcat Chevrolet. As Silas and Howard slowed, Jack Sprague ran into the back of teammate Hornaday, sending both Chevys into the pile-up and costing Hornaday a huge hit in points. It also brought out a red flag in order to clear the track. "It's just Bristol," shrugged Hornaday. "… It's a shame. I hate to see that happen. It's tough on the points."

When the track went green with 16 laps to go, Busch led Bodine, Speed, Benson and Crawford. Benson tried to get by Speed on the restart, the two BDR trucks nearly wrecking.

Caution No. 10 came out on Lap 188 for debris, setting up a single-file restart with nine laps to go. Put a handful of trucks piled up coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 194, setting up the record-tying 11 caution period.

Then it was a record 12th caution after Darnell crashed on the restart. Still, even with the subsequent green-white checkered restart, no one had anything for Busch, as "Rowdy" put Billy Ballew's Toyota back in victory lane.