The Monster Energy Cup Series Drivers got their chance to take to the newly paved and reconfigured
Texas track. The race was the first since Dyatona to have a full 40 car field, but nine cars including Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Larson did not even get to qualify as the cars did not get out of tech inspection on time. Austin Dillion though, before the race even started, was behind the pit wall to fit a trackbar problem. Austin lost over 10 laps for the repair.
The race started off with a debris Caution lap 3. The then second caution was for Reed Sorenson and Jeffery Earnhardt crashing on lap 10. As the race continued Ryan Blaney was able to the race lead and kept the race lead until the competition caution came out around lap 31. The caution brought in the leaders and Kevin Harvick won the race off pit road as many drivers took only two tires. Kyle Larson though picked up a penalty for driving through too many pit boxes on pit road.
As the race continued it was Ryan Blaney leading more and more laps as Kyle Larson was quickly moving his way back up through the field again. In the final ten laps of stage one Martin Truex Jr. was closing fast to win the stage, but just could not do it as Ryan easily took the stage win. The caution brought in the leaders with Martin Truex Jr. getting the lead off pit road.
The second stage started off with a long green flag run with Ryan Blaney leading a whole bunch more laps. With 48 laps left we get a debris caution. The caution brought down the leaders with Ryan getting to keep the race lead. The race restart was not good for Martin Truex Jr. as he tried to go for the race lead, but being on the outside could not do it and lost around 10 spots just trying to get back in line.
The new long green flag run continued with Ryan Blaney leading laps and with seven laps we got a new debris caution. The caution brought in only some cars down pit road for service. With three laps to go in the second stage the race restarted and Ryan Blaney took the race lead and then the second stage win. Cars that did not pit do as Kevin Harvick was in the race lead with Ryan Blaney back to 20th.
Kevin Harvick got to lead a whole lot of laps this time as Ryan Blaney was only slowly moving up through the field. Around lap 221 it was the start of green flag pit stops. After Joey Logano pitted Martin Truex Jr. picked up the race lead. The long green flag run continued and with 62 laps left we had a new round of green flag pit stops. Kevin Harvick took the race lead after Joey Logano finally pitted with 45 laps left in the race. Ten more laps go by and we finally get the caution flag. The caution brought in the leaders with Kevin Harvick leading the race off pit road.
Joey Logano that stayed out to gain track position was able to get the race lead as the race restarted with Jimmie Johnson right behind him in second. With 16 laps left Jimmie Johnson was able to get the race lead. as the final laps went down Kyle Larson was making a move up to second. Kyle Ran out of time to pass Jimmie for the win as Jimmie won the race.
“What a tough track. Tough conditions,” said Jimmie Johnson.
“Had a better car than most,” said Kyle Larson.
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