NASCAR Notes: Busch treated after Grand-Am event, Martin crashes

Busch needs treatment after Grand-Am race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - An overheated Kyle Busch received intravenous fluids yesterday following his driving stint in the Grand-Am race, then retreated to his motorhome to rest before NASCAR's 400-mile Sprint Cup event.

Busch, the defending race winner of NASCAR's Coke Zero 400, drove 70 minutes in his sports car series debut. He split the Chip Ganassi-owned ride with fellow NASCAR driver Scott Speed.

"Very, very, hot in those cars," Busch said. "Just the biggest thing was to get some fluids back in me since I know I lost a ton of fluids. The faster you can get to the medical center after getting out of the car, the faster I could get taken care of and get some rest before [last night's] race."

A spokesman for Busch said the driver received the IV as a precautionary measure. Speed also received an IV following the race.

Busch and Speed teamed to finish 10th in the race at Daytona International Speedway.

The race was won by SunTrust Racing's duo of Max Angelelli and Brian Frisselle.

Accidents claim several Chase contenders

Mark Martin has never enjoyed Daytona International Speedway, not even when he nearly won the 2008 Daytona 500.

Martin, who despises restrictor-plate racing that keeps cars bunched together and often leads to big wrecks, now has more reason to hate the famed track. Martin was involved in the first accident of the Coke Zero 400 last night.

Former Roush Racing teammate Matt Kenseth tapped the rear of Martin's car coming off Turn 2 on Lap 13 and sent the 50-year-old driver spinning across the track. Martin was taken to the infield care center, treated and released.

Chase contender David Reutimann was involved in a 13-car accident near the halfway point of the race that also included four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon and fellow Chase contenders Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman.

The melee started on Lap 77 when Kahne hit David Stremme from behind and sent him spinning across the superspeedway.

Mayfield opts to skip Daytona race

Jeremy Mayfield wasn't at Daytona International Speedway for last night's race, citing the media attention on his legal fight with NASCAR as an unnecessary distraction from the Independence Day celebration.

NASCAR suspended Mayfield May 9 for testing positive for methamphetamines, and he sued to be reinstated.

On Wednesday, a federal judge issued an injunction clearing him to return to competition, and Mayfield indicated he'd travel to Daytona. But he didn't enter his Mayfield Motorsports team and had no ride lined up for the race.

Still, there was a constant watch for his arrival, which was expected to happen yesterday. Instead, he and wife Shana issued a statement at the same time the pre-race driver meeting began at Daytona.

- From Wire Reports