Keller wins Moore's Snacks 250

Keller, who started from the pole, ended a 102-race, four-year drought in battling Dale Earnhardt Jr, Elton Sawyer, Terry Labonte and Todd Bodine to the checkers in a bruising race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Less than half the field was in real contention at the end after 11 cautions.

"Man, what a car!" shouted an emotional Keller who finished in the top five last week at Nashville. "It's been so long since we won I kind of doubted we could."

The only statistic changing faster than the caution tabulation was who would lead the championship points. Bad fortune constantly reshuffled the deck, with Sawyer clinging to an unofficial one-point lead over Earnhardt and 47 over Keller as the field takes a week off to heal and ready for Talladega.

Keller led for all but one lap in the first half of the race, giving way briefly to an impressive Sterling Marlin who later suffered tyre and engine problems.

Earnhardt launched from the pack to put some distance between himself and Keller. But, Keller was masterful in battling lapped cars, and with less than 20 laps remaining he ducked inside Earnhardt to regain a lead he held to the end.


Unofficial results for the Busch Series Moore's Snacks 250

Ps.Ql.No. Driver Make Laps Notes

-- -- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- ----- -------

1 1 57 Jason Keller Chev 250 $40,485

2 7 3 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chev 250 27,910

3 20 98 Elton Sawyer Ford 250 22,810

4 17 44 Terry Labonte Chev 250 11,885

5 41 66 Todd Bodine Chev 250 14,335

6 13 25 Kenny Wallace Chev 250 Running

7 2 37 *Kevin Grubb Chev 250 Running

8 4 14 Sterling Marlin Chev 250 Running

9 35 36 Tim Fedewa Pont 250 Running

10 14 61 Tony Roper Pont 250 Running

11 25 21 Michael Waltrip Chev 249 Running

12 31 77 Ed Berrier Ford 249 Running

13 47 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Chev 248 Running

14 8 15 Ken Schrader Chev 248 Running

15 16 27 Casey Atwood Chev 248 Running

16 15 40 Stanton Barrett Chev 248 Running

17 37 50 Mark Green Chev 248 Running

18 3 45 *Adam Petty Chev 247 Running

19 21 89 Jeff Fuller Chev 246 Running

20 34 28 Andy Kirby Chev 241 Running

21 11 5 Dick Trickle Chev 224 Running

22 33 12 Steve Grissom Chev 215 Accident

23 6 32 Jeff Green Chev 214 Running

24 10 93 Dave Blaney Pont 213 Accident

25 23 64 Geoffrey Bodine Chev 213 Accident

26 12 38 Glenn Allen Ford 213 Accident

27 42 34 Mike McLaughlin Chev 206 Accident

28 19 10 Phil Parsons Chev 204 Running

29 18 22 Jimmy Kitchens Chev 185 Running

30 49 00 Larry Pearson Pont 172 Running

31 38 63 Chuck Bown Chev 157 Accident

32 36 59 Mike Dillon Chev 153 Running

33 32 41 David Green Chev 136 Running

34 9 90 Brad Loney Chev 134 Accident

35 24 17 Matt Kenseth Chev 134 Accident

36 27 1 Randy LaJoie Chev 118 Running

37 5 43 Shane Hall Chev 72 Accident

38 45 53 Hank Parker, Jr. Chev 71 Accident

39 26 74 *Tony Raines Chev 54 Accident

40 28 56 Jeff Krogh Chev 54 Accident

41 30 35 Lyndon Amick Chev 54 Accident

42 22 4 Jeff Purvis Chev 39 Engine

43 29 7 Joe Buford Chev 6 Accident

*Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender

Unofficial Top-10 Points:

1. Elton Sawyer 1,087

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr 1,086

3. Jason Keller 1,040

4. Mike McLaughlin 1,009

5. Matt Kenseth 976

6. Jeff Green 966

7. Todd Bodine 899

8. Phil Parsons 820

9. Casey Atwood 812