Nigel Kinrade / AP

Austin Dillon celebrates his win with a burnout after the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Kentucky Speedway, Friday, June 29, 2012, in Sparta, Ky.

Michael L. Levitt / AP

Austin Dillon performs slides in the grass after winning the race.

AP reports: Pole-sitter Austin Dillon, driving the legendary No. 3 car, led most of the final 113 laps to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway on Friday night. The No. 3, of course, was driven to fame by Dale Earnhardt before his death on the track at the 2001 Daytona 500. Richard Childress was the team owner for Earnhardt, and is also the grandfather and team owner for Dillon.

As Dillon was clinching the win, his grandfather said over the radio, "Dale would have been proud of that." It was the first Nationwide victory for Dillon, a rookie who captured the Truck Series title a year ago.