LOUDON, N.H. — The way this season has gone for Kurt Busch, the former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion isn't about to apologize for winning a race with the help of fuel strategy and rain.

"Sometimes you just don't win 'em the right way," Busch said after winding up in front in Sunday's rain-shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I think we can honestly say that, but we had a lot of work and a lot of effort put in today and we'll take it."

Two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart also put a lot of effort into the race, leading 132 of the 284 laps. But he was left to ponder what might have been after his winless string was extended to 31 races by more of the hard luck that has dogged him all season.

It was the first victory for Busch since the Penske Racing driver won in September at California Speedway. And there hasn't been much to celebrate since.

Other than coming in second to teammate Ryan Newman in the season-opening Daytona 500, the 2004 Cup champion had finished in the top 10 only once in 2008 and came into this event 22nd in the points. But Sunday turned out to be his day, thanks to crew chief Pat Tryson's decision to keep his No. 2 Dodge on track when Stewart and several other lead cars pitted during a late caution period.

When rain eventually ended the race 17 laps short, with the field under a red flag on pit road, Busch had his 18th career victory and Stewart was an unhappy 13th.

"I've been on the flipside of it plenty of times," Busch said. "There's those times when you just grit your teeth and go, 'What could we have done different? Why did it happen this way?'.

"That's the beauty of Sprint Cup racing is the competition level is always at its best. Sometimes the guys that have fast race cars don't win because they got outdueled in the pits with pit strategy. You take 'em when you can get 'em."