BUSCH: Vickers takes points lead with Dover win

Brian Vickers won the battle off pit road with 32 laps to go in today's NASCAR Busch Series race to score his third win of the season. Vickers was strong all day, initially taking the lead from pole sitter Kevin Harvick at lap 36, and staying out front until lap 100.

Scott Riggs was able to get around Vickers at lap 101, but Riggs could not hold off Vickers's hard-charging No. 5 Hendrick Chevy long enough. Vickers beat Riggs off pit road to take the lead for the final time at lap 168.

"That was awesome," said Vickers. "Scott (Riggs) had a good car there, we got a little tight but we just kept him in sight. I wasn't worried about it right then; (Riggs) did an awesome job. It was a good points day for us."

The win puts Vickers into the lead in Busch series standings, 32 points ahead of Riggs.

Bobby Hamilton, Jr., who was a favorite to win this race, was second.

"I could have got to him," said Hamilton, Jr. "But I needed a caution..if we keep doing this, the wins will come."

Scott Riggs finished third, helping him make up some ground in the championship battle. Riggs climbs back up to second in series points, after an early incident with David Green.

Green entered Dover in the top spot in rankings, but Riggs bumped Green on lap 18, sending Green into the wall.

"The first thing I have to do is apologize to David Green," said Riggs. "I'd hit anyone else ten times before I'd hit him. He was struggling right in the middle of the corner and I just touched him enough to get it loose. I thought he was going to save it. I know it was my fault. I apologize 100 percent to him."

Green falls to fourth in points, 67 markers behind Vickers.

Kasey Kahne and Mike Bliss round out the top five.

"Much needed," said Bliss. "We've just been really blessed.we just needed something like this to turn our racing season around."