Kyle Busch Wins 3rd Straight NASCAR Race at Richmond [VIDEO, PHOTOS]

Posted on April 23, 2018

Kyle Busch won his third race in a row during the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season when he got it right by the night at Richmond Raceway in the Toyota Owners 400.

After winning the last two races at Texas and Bristol, Kyle’s team missed the setup for his #18 M&M’s Toyota for qualifying relegating him to a 32nd starting position on the grid. When the green flag waived he started his move to the front.

The entire field raced very cleanly in the first 350 laps of the 400 lap race that started in the daylight and ended under the lights at Richmond Raceway. During the first 350 laps there were only two caution periods that came at the end of the first two 100 lap stages which were both won by Joey Logano.

While Kyle didn’t take long to move to the front of the field he did not take the lead until the second half of the race leading for the first time on lap 273 for a single lap. In fact, among the list of seven drivers that exchanged the lead of the race 16 times, Kyle was fifth on the list for total laps led in the race. Martin Truex Jr. was out front the most with a race high 121 laps as the leader. Kyle’s total laps led was 32.

As the daytime turned to nighttime and the track conditions changed some cars that were doing well early began to struggle while cars that struggled early began to perform better. Kyle’s team made the right adjustments and helped him be toward the front of the field with a chance to challenge for the win at the end.

Kyle took the lead on lap 392 and was able to hold that lead even through a late restart that sent the race into the NASCAR overtime of a green-white-checkered finish. He led the final 11 laps of the race to claim his fifth win in NASCAR’s top division at Richmond Raceway and his third consecutive race win of the 2018 season.

Chase Elliott scored the second place finish followed by Denny Hamlin in third place. Joey Logano finished the race in fourth place and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five. See the complete race results for the Toyota Owners 400 here.

Kyle Busch once again holds on to the top spot in the point standings and Joey Logano holds steady just behind him second place. Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick swap spots this week with Clint moving up to third and Kevin slipping back to fourth place. Brad Keselowski holds stead in fifth pace for another week. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.

After two weeks of short track racing, NASCAR heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500 Sunday, April 29th.

By: Buck Stevens

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2018 Toyota Owners 400

RICHMOND, VA - APRIL 21: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, leads the field during a pace lap prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on April 21, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
RICHMOND, VA - APRIL 21: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY Toyota, leads the field during a pace lap prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on April 21, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

 

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