HOMESTEAD, Fla., 22 November 2004 — Kevin Harvick held off fellow Nextel Cup driver Jamie McMurray on three restarts over the final 20 laps to capture the Ford 300. The No.29 Chevrolet crossed the finish line 0.218 seconds ahead of runner-up McMurray. The victory was Harvick’s second of the season and 13th of his Busch career. His other win this season was on March 6th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Harvick led the most laps (108), but still might not have ended up in Victory Lane if 2004 Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr. had not damaged his car earlier in the race.
Truex dominated the first half of the race, taking the lead from Kyle Busch on lap 13. He stayed on top for the next 55 laps. Then, while exiting pit lane after a pit stop, he collided with Justin Labonte and suffered major damage to the right-front fender. With a less-than-perfect aerodynamic package, Truex Jr. would not lead another lap. Harvick and Matt Kenseth took over exchanging the lead four times.
Potential contenders were drastically cut on lap 159 when a caution caused by a Robby Gordon crash occurred in the middle of green flag stops. Less than 10 drivers remained on the lead lap. Busch, Reed Sorenson and Todd Bodine completed the top-five. Truex Jr., who clinched the Busch Series championship last week at Darlington, finished ninth.
