`In winning the 11th Nationwide Series race of the year at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Mike Bliss was good and lucky. The 44-year-old veteran qualified 10th but had to go to the back because his Miccosukee Chevy team had to swap out a motor. Bliss then methodically drove up through the field and when he stayed out longer than anyone during the long green flag run late in the event, found himself on the lead lap with only one other driver. When a yellow came out just as Kyle Busch and the other top cars had pitted, the race restarted with Bliss leading but in mid-pack with the top cars who had pitted lining up in front of him on the tail end of the lead lap. Bliss then found himself battling for the top spot with Brendan Gaughan who passed him briefly and had no idea rain was fast approaching.

Bliss:

I really didn’t know Brendan was there until he got by me. They said that’s your leader now. So I had no idea. I know when Brendan went by I knew I’d get back by him but I had no clue that there was any rain. We went through one and two and there was a little rain and then we went back through again and there was about five of us and we all went sideways and it came down pretty hard over there.

Gaughan:

We were battling pretty good for awhile, I was hoping for a little bit longer run and try to get back by him later but second place with the hard luck rusty wallace racing team man. The number of stupid things we’ve had were just nobody’s creation, I’ll take a second place any night.  

For Brendan Gaughan the runner-up was a Nationwide Series career best. Kyle Busch came home third. He was second fastest in qualifying but an engine change had him also starting in the back. It took him however only 35 green flag laps to take the lead.

Busch:

Just went to the top when they were on the bottom, went to the bottom when they were on the top. Just kind of made my way through there, picked them off one at a time. Sometimes two at a time but we made it up there pretty smoothly and pretty much had to pass his car figured we should have won the race but third place I guess is good and as everyone else would probably say it’s a good points day but I’m not worried about points I want wins.

It was the second race in a row where Busch led the most laps but did not wind up in victory lane. Finishing fourth was Brian Vickers with Joey Logano fifth. Sixth to tenth at the end were Jason Leffler, David Ragan, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards. Eleven to 15: Scott Speed, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Allgaier and David Gilliland. In the battle for the 2009 Nationwide Series Championship Kyle Bush leads Edwards by 73 pts and sitting third is Leffler minus 173. After leading three times for 21 laps, Bliss won his second career Nationwide Series race and both have come at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway but five years apart, the other one coming in 2004.

Bliss:

I don’t know why this track is very aggravating in the day and you get really mad and at night it just changes and becomes a better track. I kept over driving the car into the corner which would make it tight so I had to really concentrate and tell myself to back off a little on entry. I don’t know why I run good here and it’s only two races I won. It’s alright it’s close to home I can be in my own bed.

With rain cutting the race short by 30 laps and Kyle Busch the quickest, Bliss was more than willing to admit this is one victory he might have stolen.

Bliss:

I don’t care, yes I did. From the guy who is winning too much anyways. We had a good enough car to run top three all night. Yes, 18 was the best car but he wins too much and nobody likes him. That’s just funny.

Not to Kyle Busch.



A full set of the pictures taken at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway can be viewed athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/nationwide

The Nationwide Series will run at the Dover International Speedway in Dover on May 30th.

And don’t forget, Nationwide’s Media Team will be Twittering from Dover. You can follow the Team’s whereabouts on the track at Twitter/Nationwide (http://twitter.com/Nationwide). If there is a picture of someone or something you would like to see trackside, send your requests to http://twitter.com/Nationwide. The team will try it’s best to get the shot. Pictures will be posted at http://www.twitpic.com/photos/nationwide