The 2006 Hershey's Kissables 300 was a NASCAR Busch Series race held on February 18, 2006, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. This was the first race of the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series and was also the 25th season of the Busch Series. The race was the 25th running of the event. Out of the 49 cars that attempted the race, 18 of those drivers were currently running full time in the Nextel Cup Series. Nextel Cup Series rookie J. J. Yeley won the pole but in the race's end, Tony Stewart would win the Busch Series opener for the second season in a row after a spectacular last lap crash as this race became known as a wreckfest.

Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver #DriverTeamMake 00 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 0 Kertus Davis Davis Motorsports Chevrolet 01 Jay Sauter Duesenberg & Leik Motorsports Chevrolet 1 Jason Keller Phoenix Racing Dodge 2 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Mark Green Biagi Brothers Racing Dodge 05 Chad Chaffin Day Enterprise Racing Chevrolet 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 06 Todd Kluever (R) Roush Racing Ford 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 10 John Andretti (R) ppc Racing Ford 11 Paul Menard Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 12 David Reutimann FitzBradshaw Racing Dodge 14 Tracy Hines (R) FitzBradshaw Racing Dodge 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 20 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 21 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 Kenny Wallace ppc Racing Ford 23 Chris Wimmer (R) Keith Coleman Racing Chevrolet 25 Ashton Lewis Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 27 David Green Brewco Motorsports Ford 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 32 Jason Leffler Braun-Akins Racing Chevrolet 33 Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet 34 Paul Tracy Frank Cicci Racing Chevrolet 35 Regan Smith Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 36 Tim Sauter McGill Motorsports Chevrolet 38 A. J. Foyt IV (R) Braun-Akins Racing Dodge 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 43 Aaron Fike Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge 47 Jon Wood JTG Racing Ford 49 Steve Grissom Jay Robinson Racing Ford 50 Danny O'Quinn Jr. (R) Roush Racing Ford 56 Kevin Lepage Mac Hill Motorsports Chevrolet 57 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 58 Donnie Neuenberger MacDonald Motorsports Chevrolet 59 Stacy Compton JTG Racing Ford 60 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford 62 Larry Hollenbeck S.W.A.T Racing Chevrolet 64 Jamie McMurray Rusty Wallace, Inc. Dodge 66 Ken Schrader Brewco Motorsports Ford 77 Burney Lamar (R) Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Mark McFarland (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 90 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 95 Steadman Marlin Sadler Brothers Racing Dodge 99 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing DodgeOfficial Entry List

Qualifying J. J. Yeley won the pole with a time of 49.155 seconds and a speed of 183.094 miles per hour Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed 1 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 49.155 183.094 2 43 Aaron Fike Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge 49.198 182.934 3 2 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.199 182.930 4 00 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 49.241 182.774 5 10 John Andretti (R) ppc Racing Ford 49.243 182.767 6 90 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 49.286 182.607 7 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 49.302 182.548 8 50 Danny O'Quinn Jr. (R) Roush Racing Ford 49.302 182.548 9 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.306 182.533 10 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 49.315 182.500 11 60 Carl Edwards** Roush Racing Ford 49.333 182.433 12 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 49.363 182.323 13 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 49.388 182.230 14 11 Paul Menard Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 49.403 182.175 15 21 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.436 182.053 16 33 Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet 49.448 182.009 17 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.449 182.005 18 20 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 49.470 181.928 19 06 Todd Kluever (R) Roush Racing Ford 49.472 181.921 20 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 49.500 181.818 21 77 Burney Lamar (R) Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet 49.503 181.807 22 36 Tim Sauter McGill Motorsports Chevrolet 49.542 181.663 23 27 David Green Brewco Motorsports Ford 49.587 181.499 24 32 Jason Leffler Braun-Akins Racing Chevrolet 49.597 181.462 25 88 Mark McFarland (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 49.632 181.334 26 57 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.640 181.305 27 1 Jason Keller Phoenix Racing Dodge 49.656 181.247 28 95 Steadman Marlin Sadler Brothers Racing Dodge 49.685 181.141 29 66 Ken Schrader Brewco Motorsports Ford 49.721 181.010 30 22 Kenny Wallace ppc Racing Ford 49.762 180.861 31 59 Stacy Compton JTG Racing Ford 49.790 180.759 32 35 Regan Smith Team Resni Motorsports Ford 49.841 180.574 33 38 A. J. Foyt IV (R) Braun-Akins Racing Dodge 49.880 180.433 34 47 Jon Wood JTG Racing Ford 49.895 180.378 35 25 Ashton Lewis Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 49.980 180.072 36 64 Jamie McMurray Rusty Wallace, Inc. Dodge 49.996 180.014 37 34 Paul Tracy Frank Cicci Racing Chevrolet 50.015 179.946 38 12 David Reutimann FitzBradshaw Racing Dodge 50.024 179.913 39 14 Tracy Hines (R) FitzBradshaw Racing Dodge 50.094 179.662 40 58 Donnie Neuenberger MacDonald Motorsports Chevrolet 50.224 179.197 41 4 Mark Green Biagi Brothers Racing Dodge 50.263 179.058 42 99 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Dodge 50.477 178.299 43 49 Steve Grissom* Jay Robinson Racing Ford 50.319 178.859Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes 44 0 Kertus Davis Davis Motorsports Chevrolet 49.747 180.915 45 01 Jay Sauter Duesenberg & Leik Motorsports Chevrolet 49.807 180.697 46 56 Kevin Lepage Mac Hill Motorsports Chevrolet 49.825 180.632 47 05 Chad Chaffin Day Enterprise Racing Chevrolet 50.025 179.910 48 62 Larry Hollenbeck S.W.A.T Racing Chevrolet 50.257 179.079 49 23 Chris Wimmer (R) Keith Coleman Racing Chevrolet 50.503 178.207Official Starting grid

* – Steve Grissom made the field by owners points.

** – Carl Edwards had to go to the rear of the field for unapproved impound adjustments.

Race Pole sitter J. J. Yeley lead the first lap of the race. The first caution did not take long as it came out on lap 3 of the race while the moment of silence was happening for Dale Earnhardt when Ken Schrader crashed in turn 2 after he blew a left rear tire. The race would restart on lap 7. On lap 14, Clint Bowyer took the lead. On lap 15, Jeff Burton took the lead from his teammate. Bowyer and Burton swapped the lead on lap 16 and 17 before Kasey Kahne took it on lap 18. On lap 19, Greg Biffle took the lead. Jeff Burton took the lead on lap 26. On lap 29, Elliott Sadler's tire went flat but that did not bring out the caution. The second caution flew for the three car crash on the same lap in turn 4 involving Johnny Sauter, Reed Sorenson, and Aaron Fike. During the wreck, Joe Nemechek had no working brakes and flew by Sorenson who was stopped at over 100 miles an hour and almost hit Sorenson and a lot of other cars who were slowing down. NASCAR black flagged Nemechek and held him for one lap for aggressive driving. Nemechek in the process would get his brakes fixed. Kasey Kahne won the race off of pit road and he was the new race leader on the restart on lap 35. On lap 37, Brian Vickers attempted to take the lead from Kahne and lead that lap but could not make the pass. On lap 39, the third caution flew for another 3 car crash on the front stretch involving Paul Menard and Carl Edwards when Edwards spun down and collected A. J. Foyt IV. The wreck would produce a short red flag. The race would restart on lap 45. On lap 47, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead. On lap 50, another 3 car crash occurred in turn 4 when Paul Tracy got turned by John Andretti while Joe Nemechek and Steadman Marlin crashed behind Tracy. The race would restart on lap 54. On lap 62, Greg Biffle took the lead. On lap 70, Jamie McMurray took the lead. On lap 74, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead.

Final laps With 45 laps to go, the 5th caution flew for debris when John Andretti's right front tire blew. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race off of pit road and lead the field to the restart with 40 laps to go. With 31 to go, the 6th caution flew for debris. The race would restart with 27 to go. But on that restart, Brian Vickers got hit from behind by Greg Biffle, Vickers went up into Biffle sending Biffle into the wall, and Vickers spun down into Kasey Kahne turning Kasey into the outside wall. Kahne came down and collected Regan Smith. The race restarted with 22 laps to go. But with 21 to go, the 8th caution flew for debris. The race got back underway with 18 to go. With 17 to go, David Green spun on the front stretch but no caution was thrown. With 13 to go, Tony Stewart took the lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. On the same lap, Kyle Busch got hit from behind by Denny Hamlin and Busch's car came down into Jamie McMurray turning McMurray around and bringing out a caution, the 9th caution of the race. The race restarted with 10 to go. With 9 to go, the 10th caution would fly when David Reutimann blew a right front tire and hit the wall in turn 2. With 5 laps to go, the race would restart for the last time. On the restart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. attempted to pass Stewart for the lead. Michael Waltrip pulled to the outside of the two and made it three wide for the lead down the backstretch. After racing side by side for two laps, Waltrip passed Stewart for the lead with 3 to go but Stewart immediately took it back on the same lap. With 2 to go, Burney Lamar made a big charge from 9th to 2nd and was looking to win his first race in his 3rd Busch Series start. On the last lap, Clint Bowyer pulled to the inside of Lamar in turn 3 and Stewart pulled away. Off of turn 4, Lamar made contact with Stacy Compton and Compton spun around right in front of the field triggering a 11 car crash and bringing out the 11th and last caution of the race. During the wreck, some drivers like Denny Hamlin, Mark Green, and Tracy Hines plowed through and crashed hard into other cars. The wreck collected Jason Keller, Mark Green, Tracy Hines, Denny Hamlin, Kenny Wallace, Ashton Lewis, Tim Sauter, Reed Sorenson, Stacy Compton, Elliott Sadler, and Michael Waltrip. In the end, Tony Stewart won the Busch Series season opener at Daytona for the second year in a row. Despite finishing in second, Burney Lamar was not granted a post race interview by TNT. Clint Bowyer, Jon Wood, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 while Jason Leffler, Todd Kluever, J. J. Yeley, Reed Sorenson, and Mark Green rounded out the top 10.

Race results