Matt Kobyluck put a stop to Andy Santerre's stranglehold on season-opening victories by dominating the 2005 NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series curtain-raiser, the Aubuchon Hardware 150 held at Stafford Motor Speedway. Kobyluck had to withstand a pair of late-race charges - the first foiled by a lapped car - to earn his first win since last August, when he won at Adirondack International Speedway.

After a string of rainouts dating back to last fall, the Busch North Series finally got some agreeable weather at what was the third race on the schedule. Lee USA Speedway endured three rainouts and has not yet been rescheduled, while Thompson International Speedway will make its date up the week after the originally-scheduled season closer at Lime Rock Park on October 8. At Stafford, teams worked in brilliant sunshine and pleasant temperatures, with just a brief sprinkle after qualifying that didn't even hold up the night's program.

Thirty-five cars attempted to make the 28-car field at a track that started 30 cars in previous years's series races. Bob Humphreys made his season debut along with Ryan Posocco and Kenny Horton. But it was experienced drivers that were showing the way in practice, as Eddie MacDonald set fast time. MacDonald, though, was penalized a lap in his qualifying effort and couldn't back up that speed in time trials. Kobyluck showed significant speed, though, and earned the Busch Pole Award with a fast lap of 19.881 seconds (90.539 MPH). Ryan Moore, his car now a sinister black, was second (19.936), followed by Ted Christopher (19.942), Mike Johnson (19.962), and Jerry Marquis (20.027).

Twenty-four cars transferred to the feature through time trials, and then provisional starting positions went to Scott Bouley, John Cerbone, Laine Chase, and Charles Lewandoski. The seven drivers not making it into the race were Jeff Anton, Richard Gould, John Salemi, Anthony Demonte, Humphreys, Chappy Knaack, and Mike Molleur.

One car had to report to the rear of the field before the start of the race. Brian Hoar's Goss Dodge Dodge had to start tail after arriving at the track late due to being at a function in Vermont during the day, with Bobby Dragon practicing and qualifying the car for him.

At the front of the field, Kobyluck took off with the lead as the field worked its way into single-file formation. Just two laps in, though, caution was out after Bryon Chew's Buzz Chew Auto Group Chevrolet got sideways on the frontstretch, sending Scott Bouley and Horton to the infield taking evasive action. Chew and Bouley pitted and returned to competition with minimal damage.

Lap six saw the race restart and Kobyluck held the lead, followed by Moore, Christopher, Johnson, and a battle between Marquis and Brad Leighton's Irving Oil Chevrolet. Marquis won that battle, with Leighton having to watch his back as Andy Santerre was approaching. First-timer James Civali ran eighth, followed by Mike Olsen and MacDonald. Sixteen laps in, Santerre pulled to the outside of Leighton in an effort to take the sixth place, but that attempt was unsuccessful.

Charles Lewandoski's Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet spun into the backstretch grass on lap 19 but did not bring out a yellow. He pitted under green after getting going again and fell out of contention. Up front, Kobyluck and Moore were making it a two-car race, while things were tightening up behind them in the battle for third. But this was put on hold when Don Wagner spun in turn three after losing the brakes, bringing out the second caution of the event. Leighton pitted under this caution, joined on pit road by Horton, Wagner, John Cerbone, Ryan Seaman, Hoar, Mike Stefanik, and Lewandoski.

The race restarted with Kobyluck leading Moore, Christopher, Johnson, Marquis, Santerre, Civali, Olsen, MacDonald, and Joey McCarthy. Shortly after the restart, the top two again separated themselves from Christopher's Recycle America Chevrolet in third. Sixty laps in, Moore's car started showing sparks from under its rear end, getting the attention of officials. While Moore was still on Kobyluck's back bumper, the sparking became worse, and on lap 65 Moore was high out of the groove in turn three and smoking, a victim of a broken Panhard bar. As he fought to keep control of the car, caution came out.

Dale Quarterley, MacDonald, McCarthy, Leighton, Horton, Seaman, and Cerbone all pitted under this caution. Kobyluck remained on the track and kept the lead, now with Christopher in second. Johnson ran third, followed by Marquis, Santerre, Civali, Olsen, Dale Shaw, Dave Dion, and Stefanik. Lurking just outside the top ten were Chew and Hoar.

Half a lap after the lap 71 restart, Stefanik's Burnham Boilers Chevrolet spun off the backstretch and did not get a caution to help him catch back up to the field. By the time he got back up to the speed, he wasn't that far ahead of Kobyluck and in danger of going a lap down. But he drove away from Kobyluck and soon was passing cars for position. Further ahead, Civali, who had been impressive in his series debut running ahead of Olsen in the top ten, slowed and came to the pits, having to retire from the race with electrical problems. Kip Stockwell also went behind the wall with a broken rear end.

Santerre's Castle Chemical Chevrolet had designs on taking fourth place from Marquis on lap 87 and was inside of Marquis, but had to fall back in line when the two ran up on Marc Rogers' lapped car. Five laps later, Santerre made another passing attempt, this time successfully. Behind them, Quarterley and MacDonald were coming back from pit stops to run sixth and seventh, making it a six-car battle for second behind Kobyluck, who had opened up some breathing room.

Santerre became Marquis' best friend as he pulled alongside Johnson's Johnson Lumber Ford for second and completed the pass, leaving the door open for Marquis to move into fourth. Four laps later, Santerre passed Christopher for second, and Marquis followed to come to third. The top three then got within striking distance of each other, a situation helped - perhaps - by their approaching a trio of lapped cars. They negotiated that traffic without drama, and set about to be a three-car battle for the win, but that had to be put on hold when the fourth and final caution of the event came out for Caisse's turn two spin on lap 128.

Eight late-race laps were burned up trying to get the lapped cars lined up behind the last lead lap car. When the restart finally happened on lap 136, Kobyluck led the way followed by Santerre, Marquis, Christopher, Johnson, Quarterley, MacDonald, Olsen, Shaw, and Dion

Santerre was sizing up Kobyluck and pulled underneath to try and take the lead on lap 144, but the two ran up on the Rogers' lapped Drews Enterprises Chevrolet exiting turn four and Kobyluck picked the right lane, going outside of Rogers, while Santerre tried to sneak low but was foiled when Rogers hung a left exiting four trying to get out of the way. This allowed Marquis to pass Santerre for second but that was temporary as Santerre came back two laps later to reclaim the spot.

Kobyluck had breathing room over Santerre as he was shown the five-to-go signal. But that was short-lived as Santerre was on the charge back and got as far as Kobyluck's rear bumper as the white flag flew. Santerre ran Kobyluck clean, though, and followed the Mohegan Sun Chevrolet across the line as Kobyluck had his first win of the season. Marquis finished third, followed by Christopher, Johnson, Quarterley, Olsen, MacDonald, Stefanik, and Shaw.