Bristol: Busch scores unpopular win

Busch, who was punched in the face by an irate Jimmy Spencer after the Michigan race last week, spun-out Sterling Marlin in a mid-race battle for second position.

"Just a bonehead move," railed Marlin. "I don't guess Spencer got him hard enough."

Busch himself said: "I can't thank sponsors or any people before I apologise for Sterling Marlin," said Busch. "I got into him and it was a place where he was trying to let me go, and I was trying to get into one and set him up and try and get underneath him."

NASCAR informed Busch that he was under observation after the dubious move, but he passed leader Kavin Harvick with a clean manoeuvre to win the race. Despite that, Harvick still had a sharp observation to make of his own: "He's a cocky, arrogant, punk. He just has a really, really bad attitude. But he can wheel a race car."

Poleman Jeff Gordon finished third after running strongly in the opening stages. No less than 20 caution periods were required on the notorious half-mile oval but, surprisingly, none of the post-race arguments got physical.

Championship leader Matt Kenseth finished fourth, despite a flat tyre, increasing his series lead to 351 points over Dale Earnhardt Jr, who finished ninth.