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Kenseth Wins Rain-Shortened Daytona 500

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2009

DAYTONA BEACH—Matt Kenseth has won a rain-shortened Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick finished second, A.J. Allmendinger third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Elliott Sadler fifth.

The race started under the threat of rain and was red flagged after 152 of the scheduled 200 laps. Shortly after drivers pulled down pit road and parked their cars, NASCAR declared the race official.

Kenseth, the 2003 Sprint Cup champion, had taken the lead on lap 146, just before Tampa's Aric Almirola spun out after a bump from Kasey Kahne to bring out the eighth caution flag of the day. Rain started falling a couple of laps later.

Kyle Busch had the dominant car through the first half of the race but was taken out in a lap 124 crash when Brian Vickers blocked Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Earnhardt clipped Vickers, turning his No. 83 Toyota into traffic. Vickers and Earnhardt, knowing rain was on the way, were battling for the free pass that would go to the lead driver one lap down with the next caution.

The 500 was last shortened by rain in 2003, when Michael Waltrip was declared the winner after 109 of the scheduled 200 laps. The race has gone its full distance every other year except 1965 and 1966.

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