On an overtime restart at Kentucky Speedway, Kurt Busch earned redemption and won his first race with Chip Ganassi Racing.
He won stage one and never sniffed the lead until the end. His final pit stop under green put him in fourth with just a handful of laps remaining. Crew chief Matt McCall opted to put four tires on the No. 1 Chevrolet whereas Kyle Busch and Joey Logano only put on two tires, leaving the duo well in front of the field to battle it out for the win on their own. But a late caution reset the field and gave Kurt Busch had one more opportunity to win. He and brother Kyle dueled in an overtime dash, and Kurt Busch wheeled his No. 1 Chevrolet to victory.
WHAT. A. FINISH. Kyle Busch vs. Kurt Busch for the WIN.
Retweet to congratulate the No. 1 team on their Kentucky victory! pic.twitter.com/UURYvvBt7b
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 14, 2019
About halfway through stage one, Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer pitted earlier than the rest of the field and hoped for pit stops to cycle through under the green flag. However, their wishes weren’t granted. Chase Elliott brought out the first caution with a flat tire on the No. 9 Chevrolet, costing both Blaney and Bowyer. Bowyer recovered to contend for the win, but Blaney never showed race-winning speed.
Stage one featured two more cautions before its end. On lap 55, Corey LaJoie spun his No. 32 Go FAS Racing Ford. Then, on lap 64, Landon Cassill and Bayley Currey synchronized spun.
Kyle Busch won a caution free stage two. As the stage wound down, Kyle Busch didn’t pressure Ryan Preece in an attempt to lap him. By not lapping Preece, he allowed Denny Hamlin to receive the free pass to get back on the lead lap.
On lap 178, Jimmie Johnson passed Logano before sliding up the track and into the outside wall. As a result of the contact, Johnson spun, bringing out the sixth caution of the race. Pole-sitter Daniel Suarez received the free pass to return to the lead lap. Suarez had speed early but he was caught speeding on pit road during a green-flag pit stop. He was able to battle back onto the lead lap and an eighth-place finish.
On the restart on lap 185, William Byron started on the front row next to Bowyer. Byron seemingly restarted well, but NASCAR ruled he restarted too soon, resulting in a restart violation that took Byron out of the mix altogether. Kyle Busch noted it looked like Bowyer brake-checked the field, but the NBC broadcasters analyzed the restart and found Bowyer did not brake-check.
Byron managed to stay on the lead lap, but he finished in 18th place. In a race where tire strategy was crucial, his finish was not indicative of the speed in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Following the overtime victory, Kurt Busch jubilantly celebrated his first victory with Chip Ganassi Racing. He ended a 64 Cup Series race winless drought for the organization.
Win as a team. Lose as a team. pic.twitter.com/Vsvgrh9TNr
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 14, 2019
Kurt Busch’s first win at Kentucky Speedway locks him into the Cup Series playoffs. In victory lane, Kurt Busch openly discussed his NASCAR future.
Kurt Busch: "I thought this year might be my last but we're having so much fun we'll have to see how things go"
A little unretirement speech in @Outback victory lane, says @Riceman61! #QS400
— PRN (@PRNlive) July 14, 2019
Kurt Busch has now won at least one race each season since 2014. While he was in a relatively safe position to make the Cup Series playoffs, winning the Quaker State 400, along with the first stage, gives him six playoff points as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs increasingly draw closer.
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.