Martin Truex Jr. rebounded from a re-start penalty and a loose wheel to sweep the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway in the Hollywood Casino 400.
The Kansas race was an elimination race in NASCAR’s playoffs. Twelve drivers started the race with a shot at winning the championship this season, when the race finished only eight would remain in contention for the championship.
Martin started the race from the pole position and was running strong early on in the race leading the first 34 laps. However, following a competition caution due to heavy rain at the track the night before, he was penalized for breaking a rule in the re-start of the race. Martin then had to make an unscheduled pit stop on lap 90 because of a vibration that he feared was a loose wheel.
Martin was only one of the Chase Grid drivers that faced challenges and strange situations during the Kansas race. Kyle Larson has been in the top three all season long and saw his championship hopes go up in smoke when he had an engine failure during the Hollywood Casino 400. Matt Kenseth had his championship hopes ended when he was caught up in a wreck on the track followed by too many crew members over the wall fixing the damage to his car. Several other playoff drivers also faced challenges that kept the Round of Eight picture uncertain until the end of the race.
Meanwhile, Kyle Busch was dominating the race leading a race high 112 of the 267 lap race. While it looked as though Kyle would likely get the win, Martin was climbing his way back to the front of the pack. Thanks to a couple of late race caution periods he was able to get close enough to the race leader and take over the lead of the race on lap 211.
Martin held on to the race lead for the final 57 laps of the race to claim his second win in the Round of 12. The win is also his second win at Kansas Speedway. Martin becomes only the third cup series driver to win consecutive races at the track and the only driver to seep the races at Kansas Speedway in the same season.
Kurt Busch claimed a second place finish with Ryan Blaney coming across the finish line in third place. Chase Elliott was able to leave Kansas with a fourth place finish and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five. See the complete race results for the Hollywood Casino 400 here.
Following the race at Kansas Speedway to 12 driver Chase Grid was reduced to eight drivers. The drivers that were eliminated from the NASCAR playoffs were Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Jamie McMurray. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
The Round of Eight begins with the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday, October 29th. The remaining Chase Grid drivers will have three races to either win or score enough points to be included in the top four drivers to have a shot a racing for the championship in the final race of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series race of the year.
By: Buck Stevens
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