Brian Vickers Wins Busch Kroger 200

CLERMONT, Ind.August 2, 2003; Dan Gelston writing for the AP reported that Brian Vickers pecked at Shane Hmiel's bumper all night before making the decisive pass on lap 181, then held on to win the Kroger 200 on Saturday night for his first career Busch Series victory.

It was the first victory in 47 career starts for Vickers, who at 19 is the youngest competitor in NASCAR. His unofficial winnings were $52,120.

"Shane's a good racer. We raced hard," Vickers said. "He was cutting me off. He was doing what he had to do. I was rubbing him. I was trying to push him up. It was an awesome race. I had a lot of fun. And sitting here in victory lane is not that bad."

Vickers, who entered fifth on the Busch Series points race, started third in the 200-lap race and spent most of it in Hmiel's rearview mirror.

Hmiel, who entered ninth on the Busch Series points race, had led only 91 laps in the series and never finished better than third (Talladega).

Hmiel's speed of 110.690 was enough to get him his third career pole, and he took advantage early. Vickers narrowly trailed Hmiel most of the race, but could never sustain the needed momentum that would have given him the lead.

Hmiel lost the lead on lap 108 coming out of a pit stop under a caution flag. Vickers took the lead, losing it briefly to Ron Hornaday, before Hmiel recaptured it on lap 134.

Hmiel and Vickers practically ran side-by-side for most of the last 30 laps, thrilling the crowd at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The track sits about 10 miles west of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the Winston Cup drivers will contest the Brickyard 400 on Sunday.

Vickers was on him, trying to find away around, only to be continually blocked by Hmiel. They narrowly avoided contact in what was a pretty clean race: There were only three cautions for 20 laps.

Vickers, however, finally passed Hmiel for the lead on lap 181 of the 200-lap race and held on for the win in his No. 5 Chevrolet. Vickers twice finished second, both this season at Nazareth and Milwaukee.

Vickers had never led a lap on a short track in the NASCAR Busch Series. He led 43 laps, Hmiel led 153, and Hornaday led four.

Hmiel faded down the stretch, getting bumped by Scott Wimmer on the last lap, and finished fourth. Jason Keller was second for the second straight year and Stacy Compton was third.

Compton was involved in the first caution on lap 21. Joey Clanton tried to pass Martin Truex on Turn 3, the cars crashed instead and spun into the fence. Compton couldn't avoid the mess and made it a three-car crash.

The crash brought out the only caution of the first 100 laps. Truex and Compton continued.