DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., 21 February 2005 — Former Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart grabbed the win in the season opening Hershey’s TAKE 5 300 Busch Series race on Saturday.

The No. 33 Chevrolet crossed the finish line for the white flag 0.204 seconds ahead of runner-up and team owner Kevin Harvick. It was then that a caution flag came out to bring the race to a finish.

The victory was the first of Stewart’s Busch career. Stewart has now won at least one race in each of the three NASCAR national series’ - Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the former IndyCar champion. He also took an unexpected trip across the infield on lap 95. He had been leading at the time when Carl Edwards clipped his rear bumper sending him off into the grass. Stewart, a former dirt track racer, never slowed and re-emerged on the track in fifth place.

“That’s Tony Stewart, he can do anything,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he saw Stewart’s amazing save. “He can drive off a track, on a track, it doesn’t matter.”

But he would drop all the way to 17th place after a pit stop on lap 100 in which the team took a long time checking for any damage. There wasn’t anything significant and Stewart got back on the track.

He was still around 17th when the drivers hit lap 110 of 120.

Meanwhile, up front, it looked as if DEI power was going to rule. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and teammate Martin Truex Jr. were sitting one-two as the drivers readied for the final laps.

However, Stewart and Harvick had other ideas.

The pair hooked up on the outside and flew past the field. They were third and fourth, respectively as they turned into the backstretch on lap 118. But they had a head of steam and caught and passed Earnhardt Jr. and Truex Jr. and as they hit turn 3 were in the front two positions.

Just as they took the white flag signifying the final lap, the caution came out from an accident at the back of the field. Because it was on the final lap, positions were frozen at the time of the caution and Stewart cruised to his first-ever Busch Series victory.

“We just got a run there and went by,” said Stewart in a huge understatement.

“If I was going to lose to someone, the No.33 was the right one to lose to,” said Harvick.

Earnhardt Jr., Truex Jr. and Robby Gordon completed the top-five.

“Man, that was a good time,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I was worried about how this race was going to go, but everybody drove great. Me and Michael sat back early in the race waiting for the wreck and it never happened.

“That last couple of laps, even though we got beat, man the people that beat us are fun to race with.”

The next race in the 35-race Busch Series championship is scheduled for Saturday, February 26th at the California Speedway.