LOUDON, N.H. --- Kurt Busch almost apologized for Sunday's victory in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, but he didn't feel bad enough to give back the trophy.

Pit strategy and a thunderstorm worked in Busch's favor and added to Tony Stewart's frustrating season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Busch made a stop for gas with 63 laps remaining, giving up track position with the hope that a fast-moving thunderstorm would stay away long enough to force most of the leaders to pit road for enough gas to finish the race.

A caution with 30 laps remaining did exactly that. The storm came minutes later with Busch in the lead, and he inherited the victory when NASCAR sent everyone home 15 laps early.

"I wouldn't be where we are if it wasn't for the crew," Busch said.

"We might not have had the fastest car, but our strategy was there. We can celebrate anyway. Sometimes you don't win them the right way, but we'll take it."

While Busch posed for pictures in the makeshift Victory Lane inside the garage area, Stewart sat stunned. He led for 132 of 284 laps but fell to a 13th-place finish when he made his final stop for gas.

"There's a percentage of this sport that's luck," Stewart said. "We just haven't had any of it lately. It's just been the oddest year I've ever seen for this team. It's just frustrating."

Stewart led on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500, only to get passed in the final mile by Ryan Newman. He led the most laps at Talladega but was knocked out by a crash. He had a 100-yard lead at Charlotte only to lose with three laps to go with a flat tire.

Busch led the final 10 laps Sunday. He's led a combined 84 laps this season. Stewart is winless despite leading a total of 520 laps.

"It was ugly, but we'll take it," Busch said. "Luck is always a player in this sport."

Points leader Kyle Busch spun out late for a 24th-place finish.

Reach Don Coble at don.coble@morris.com