by Holly Cain

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With cars spinning out behind him, Kevin Harvick survived a green-white-checkered overtime to win Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout non-points race for the second consecutive year and become NASCAR’s first winner of the season.

Harvick’s No. 29 Shell-sponsored Chevrolet led Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray across the finish line under the yellow flag at Daytona International Speedway in a race that featured plenty of lead changes and bump-drafting at its best and worst. Four drivers swapped the lead in the final 12 laps of the 76-lap event.

Greg Biffle and Kahne opted to keep their Fords on track during the second-to-last caution period while the rest of the field pitted for fresh tires. Harvick immediately drove low inside Biffle on the restart and took the point moments before Biffle was hit from behind by Jeff Gordon, collecting a half-dozen cars in the melee.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five.

 

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