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Leffler Provides First Toyota Busch Series Victory At ORP

7/28/07, Clermont, IN – Under a hazy summer sky which soon turned to night, a near capacity crowd watched Jason Leffler win his second and Toyota win their first NASCAR Busch Series victory Saturday night at O?Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. This race has became a tradition on the NASCAR Busch Series, starting in 1982 when Morgan Shepherd won the inaugural race. Incidentally Shepherd was in this race dropping out after 34 laps finishing 40th.

Aric Almirola started like he did in Milwaukee last month-in front. Almirola ran away at the green flag, by lap five had just over a two second lead on Kelly Bires. On lap 13, the first yellow came out when Hendrick development driver Landon Cassill hit the turn one wall, Cassill was able to drive away and make quick repairs.

In a scary moment during the ensuing caution period, rookie Robert Johns coming in to make a pit stop hits the tire carrier for Ron Hornaday lifting him and then falling hard against the tarmac. The crewmember, Jake Lauder walked gingerly to the waiting medical cart.

Lap 25 saw Almirola leading comfortably over Jason Leffler, Bires, Mike Bliss and Greg Biffle. By lap 31, Almirola is encountering lapped traffic. Lap 36 Leffler is starting to close on Almirola, both cars dodging in and out of traffic on the tight 5/8-mile oval. Even though ORP has a reputation for being hard to pass on, tonight it appears to be three grooves which seems to help passing. However there is still a lot of rubbing, banging and cantankerous chatter on the radio to the contrary.

Lap 44-the second yellow comes out as NEXTEL Cup regular David Ragan spins in turn four causing light damage to left rear of his #6 Discount Tire Roush Ford. Rookie, Josh Wise might had helped Ragan get around. Lap 46 saw everybody makes pit stops with Almirola once again coming out in the lead.

Green flag conditions returned on lap 50 with Ron Hornaday in the lead after his speedy pit stop. Hornaday led Almirola, Biffle, Bobby East and Bliss . Lap 54-Hornaday and Almirola battle side-by-side down the front straightaway. Almirola eventually passes Hornaday on lap 55.

Lap 69, rookies Brad Coleman and Scott Lagasse dance together and into the front stretch wall. Coleman?s car appeared to get the worse of it, however both cars make it back to the pits for repairs.

Green flag conditions returns on Lap 73. Three laps later Bobby East goes behind the wall after apparently making contact with another car inflicting front end damage. Lap 82 the #47 car of Kelly Bires? car sounds very sick as he comes down the front straight as does the #36 of Brent Sherman. Sherman appears to have lost a cylinder and Bires? comes to pit road as the crew lifts the hood. Soon, the ArmorAll Ford goes behind the pit wall.

Lap 90 its Almirola, Biffle and Leffler working their way through lapped traffic. Carl Edwards who started in the rear of the field, also begins to show his hand as he joins the trio. The top-four begins to distance themselves from fifth place runner, Hornaday.

Brent Rowe hits the hit in turn four on lap 97 causing moderate damage to his FMI Fireplaces Chevy.

On lap 101, Rookie Deac McCaskill is in the lead as McCaskill, Brian Keselowski and D.J. Kennington did not pit. Biffle, Jason Keller and Edwards follow. Biffle dispatches the front three and takes the lead on lap 103

By lap 130, Biffle continues to lead by two seconds over Edwards, David Reutimann, Hornaday and Leffler. Almirola was passed by Leffler several laps prior.

Lap 140 Robert Johns did a quick spin in turn two bringing out the caution.

Lap 142 Jason Leffler who was running in fifth place was the only front runner to make a pit stop. 23 cars are on the lead lap with seven cars behind pit wall. Green flag returns on lap 144 with Biffle leading.

Deac McCaskill who was running a strong race gets turned around on lap 145 when several cars checked up and McCaskill makes hard impact with left rear of his Evernham Dodge in turn four.

Green flag conditions return on lap 149. it?s the Roush boys in front as Biffle continues to lead with teammate Edwards in second, Reutimann, Hornaday and Almirola following.

The night got worse for McCaskill on lap 157 as he has the hardest hit of the night slamming into the third wall with the rear of his red #9 Dodge. The car ignites briefly as apparently some fuel leaked from the rear of the car.

Restart on lap 163 it?s a three-car battle as Biffle, Edwards and Reutimann wrestle for the lead. It?s now the Biffle and Edwards show as the two battle side-by side from laps 165-169. However, Leffler who took on tires on lap 142 starts to battle Hornaday for fourth. Meanwhile, Biffle-Edwards and Reutimann continue to battle for first as Edwards gets high in turn two and then Leffler moves to takes third place from Edwards. In the meantime there are 25 laps to go.

Lap 180 Biffle starts to encounter some lapped traffic, the question is, is there enough time for Reutimann and Leffler to pass Biffle to get Toyota?s first win in Busch Series competition?

With ten laps to go Biffle has some breathing room as he builds about a one second lead. Meanwhile, Leffler and Reutimann continue in a very spirited way battle for position. Leffler gets by Reutimann and starts to move up to challenge Biffle.

Lap 192-Josh Wise appears to blow a left rear tire as spins down the front straightaway. Wise continues, but may have to change his flat-spotted tire with seven laps to go. Some unnecessary foolishness appears as Reutimann swerved twice at Leffler in turn one while under yellow.

With five laps to go Leffler is moving in to challenge Biffle. Leffler makes several tries at Biffle and finally on penultimate lap Leffler passes Biffle for the lead. Leffler takes the white flag in the lead and starts the move away from Biffle as Reutimann starts to challenge Biffle. Leffler takes the checkered flag as he wins his second career Busch Series career win as well as Toyota?s first win.

Leffler pumps his fist in victory circle as he acknowledges the enthusiastic crowd. Leffler remarks, ?I had to get rough to get the victory lane.? Explaining his slide job on Reutimann earlier, ?Shades of Steve Butler came back as like he did on Thursday Night Thunder (reference to the ESPN USAC Sprint/Midget weekly summer television show from the late-1980?s). ?He was kind of pinching me off and we had got together a little earlier in the race and didn?t really give me all of the line on the race track. But it was no big deal. He just made it pretty hard for me to pass. But there comes a time where you can either run third or you can try to win the race. He kind of roughed me up and then I kind of roughed him up, but I eventually got by him. I?m sure he could have crashed me there, but he didn?t and I appreciate it. I really like David and I?m sorry I had to do that. But he had a good run tonight too and finished third. I had to make a choice and I wanted to get by him.?

Reutimann commented on his late race tussle with Leffler, ?He (Leffler) drove underneath and knocked in our right front fender in and it made our car tight after that. It’s hard to pass here and you have to do stuff like that towards the end, but it was the third time he did it. I’m just disappointed in that, but I’m real happy with my guys — they did a great job.?

Biffle commented after the race, ?It was a really good night. The car was really, really tough to drive. Probably the toughest car that I?ve ever driven at this race track, I don?t know why. To be honest with you, I don?t know why we did so well. Track position was a lot of it. I ran the thing in the fence three or four times on my own. Carl (Edwards) and I were racing really hard together and I kind of got in the fence a couple of times on the back stretch, which probably wasn?t good. It was a good night and I had a lot of fun.?

Leffler opined about the 5/8-mile oval. ?It?s a tricky track, you got to have the set-up right here. I?m glad to get back to victory lane.? Leffler spoke about his success at ORP, ?It?s pretty cool to come here and win a Busch race because I?ve won quite a few midget and Silver Crown races here at ORP (O?Reilly Raceway Park). I?ve always considered Indianapolis to be like my second home — I?ve spent a lot of time here and I have a lot of friends here. I just can?t say enough about our whole team at Braun Racing and what it means to us to get Toyota their first win in the Busch series. It?s pretty awesome to be the first one to bring a Camry to victory lane. I?m excited, but I?m pretty tired now.?

The move of the night came on lap 142 when Leffler who was running fifth came in under yellow and made a pit stop for fuel and tires as those in front decided to stay out. Leffler restarted mid-pack and worked his way to the front on lap 199 to take the win. This is Leffler?s eighth win at ORP, having previously won two USAC Silver Crown races and five USAC National Midget divison races the last in 2002, the Night Before the 500 midget race. It is the first win for Toyota in NASCAR?s Busch Series. Toyota as they had two cars in the top-3, three cars in the top-10. Leffler?s last Busch Series win came in June of 2004 at Nashville.

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