Defending champion Dale Earnhardt, who twice fell...

Defending champion Dale Earnhardt, who twice fell one lap behind, took the lead with 109 laps remaining Saturday night and won the Busch 500 at Bristol International Raceway in Bristol, Tenn.

Earnhardt, driving the Goodwrench Chevrolet and bidding to win his third straight Winston Cup driving championship, finished one length in front of Bill Elliott in a Ford. Geoff Bodine was third in a Chevrolet, followed by Davey Allison in a Ford and polesitter Alan Kulwicki in a Ford.

A record 14 caution flags for 88 laps slowed the average speed to 78.768 m.p.h., and the race lasted 3 hours 23 minutes. There were a record 23 lead changes among 13 drivers, and Earnhardt earned $48,500.

Elliott moved into the lead in the Winston Cup standings with 3,027 points, followed by Rusty Wallace with 3,011 and Earnhardt with 2,901. Nine races remain.