The Buschy McBusch Race 400 at Kansas Speedway was the tale of two Kyles.
Kyle Larson started the race Sunday (5/2) from the 32nd position. He was able to race his way forward to end stage one in the second position just behind Kyle Busch who won the stage. Both Kyles were among six drivers that exchanged the lead of the race 18 times.
Kyle Larson was able to win the second stage of the race as he dominated that stage and the final stage of the race. Kyle Larson led a race high 132 laps in the 267 lap race. However, just as in the previous week’s race, the dominant car would not be the one to win the race.
As the race grew nearer to the end, Kyle Larson raced out to small lead. It appeared that he was going to be able to maintain that lead fairly easily to score the win. Then, during green flag pit stops one team lost control of a tire that rolled out into the grass between pit road and the race track. Once all green flag pit stops had been made NASCAR issued a caution flag to remove the tire from the grass. This erased Kyle Larson’s lead and made the drivers have to decide to pit again or not.
Once decisions were made, pit stops completed and the race restarted Kyle Larson lost the lead to Denny Hamlin. Hamlin got into the wall while holding Larson off allowing Larson to again take the lead.
Then there was another wreck with just 15 laps remaining. Kyle Busch managed to take the lead after this restart. The seventh and final yellow flag waived with 10 laps remaining. The restart would happen with just two laps left in the race.
Kyle Busch was able to race out to the lead and hold it for the final two laps of the race. These would be two of the 20 laps Kyle Busch would lead during the race. Of course those included the final lap giving Kyle Busch a win on his 36th birthday. This is also his first win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season and his second career win at Kansas in a Cup Car.
Kevin Harvick was able to claim second place with Brad Keselowski finishing in third. Matt DiBenedetto and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete race results for the Buschy McBusch Race 400 at Kansas Speedway here.
Denny Hamlin holds on to the lead in the point standings another week. Martin Truex Jr. also holds stead in second place. William Byron moves up a spot to third pushing Joey Logano back a spot to fourth place. Ryan Blaney holds stead in the fifth place position. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
The next stop is one of the most storied tracks in NASCAR history, Darlington Raceway. That is the sight of the Goodyear 400 Sunday, May 9th.
By: Buck Stevens
