Leffler rebuilds Cup career one Busch race at a time

As important as Jason Leffler's win at Indy was for Toyota, it may have been even more important to rejuvenating his Cup career. Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

Jason Leffler's first shot in Nextel Cup, in 2001 with Chip Ganassi Racing, was too soon. He flopped in his second chance, too, perhaps because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with Joe Gibbs Racing in '05. Six weeks before Leffler's 30th birthday, it appeared he was headed to a lifetime career in NASCAR's Busch Series.

Leffler has toiled in Busch since the middle of '05 for Braun Racing, a small team without a Cup connection. Along with the rest of the Busch-only teams, Braun has had trouble beating the Cup drivers and teams known as the Buschwhackers.

In Leffler's 62nd start with Braun last Saturday, though, at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, he put himself back onto the radar for a Cup ride. Leffler made history, too, winning Toyota's first Busch race with a magnificent drive on the .686-mile track.

Leffler is the fourth Busch regular in the past two seasons to officially win and the third to take the checkered flag. Aric Almirola was credited with a win at Milwaukee in June because he started and drove the opening segment of the race before Denny Hamlin replaced him. David Gilliland's win at Kentucky last season elevated him instantaneously into Cup with Robert Yates Racing, and he's already been signed by the team for '08. And Stephen Leicht, another Yates development driver, won at Kentucky this season and appears eventually headed for Cup after another year of seasoning in Busch.

Leffler is ready to return to the big time now. He proved that at ORP, driving from seventh to first in the final 37 laps and passing Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Reutimann in the process.

Leffler also was helped by a Toyota operation that has been far more competitive in Busch than Cup this season. Dave Blaney was second at Daytona in February and Reutimann was second at Nashville. Leffler had been third twice and was fourth at Gateway International Raceway, located outside St. Louis, in the previous race.

The three teams were competing to get the car maker's first win.

"All three of the Camrys have been running strong lately in the Busch cars, so I knew it was going to be close and I knew it was going to come soon," Leffler said. "I really wanted to be the one to do it and I'm really happy for [owner] Todd [Braun] and our whole team for being the ones to pick up the win. I'm pretty excited to have my name going into the history books as Toyota's first Busch Series winner."

Leffler first-ever Busch race win came in a rain-shortened race at Nashville in '04 with Haas CNC Racing. He also has a NASCAR Craftsman Truck win, in '03 at Dover.

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