Kentucky: Race report

Bud Not Light in Kentucky Bashing

SPARTA, Ky. -- Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Calif. scored the second largest margin of victory in Kentucky Speedway history Friday, winning the USAC Silver Crown Series presented by K&N Engineering "Kentucky 100."

Kaeding, who set the event's fast time and was fastest in the preceding practice, took command on Lap 31 of the 67-lap race and beat Wayne Reutimann Jr. by 17.576 seconds, scoring his second career series victory and first ever on pavement.

The race came the night before the "Meijer 300 Presented by Oreo" NASCAR Busch Series race.

"It was just an awesome opportunity to race on a track like this in front of the NASCAR Busch Series owners," said Kaeding, who averaged 140.043 mph in his No. 29 Team ASE/Loan City DRC/Shaver. "That's what we want -- for those owners to see us and maybe pick up a ride." Tyler zipped into the lead from his third starting position, diving underneath front row starters Kaeding and Reutimann going into Turn 1 of the initial lap. Despite two cautions in the first 10 laps, Tyler held the advantage until Lap 30, keeping Kaeding at bay after the eventual winner attempt to pass on the outside.

But a caution on Lap 25 -- the final one of the evening -- bunched the field, and Kaeding roared past Tyler on the Lap 30 restart, starting his dominance. Lap after lap, Kaeding added second by second. Kaeding's advantage stretched to more than four seconds by Lap 40, and entered double digits seven laps later.

The largest margin between Kaeding and second-place runner Reutimann was 21.247 seconds before the crew radioed to him to ease off. Reutimann had taken second from Tyler on Lap 48. "It's fortunate for our team, because our team has worked so hard all year," said Kaeding, who shares ownership of the car with NASCAR Busch regular Jason Leffler. "I had no clue we had a lead like that. We were fortunate that we could get out of the throttle a bit."

Trailing Reutimann, whose second-place finish is a career best, were Tim Barber, Tyler and Cole Carter. Barber's third matched a career best, while Carter's set a career best in his initial pavement series start. Former USAC Silver Crown Series champion Mike Bliss set the track's margin of victory record in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, winning the 2002 "Built Ford Tough 225" by 18.197 seconds.

Two of the three cautions were caused by oil leaks on the track; the other was for a bad restart.

By virtue of his victory, Kaeding leaves Kentucky with a 15-point lead over Tyler heading into the June 24 "Richmond Times-Dispatch 100" at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

-usac-