In the final race of the season Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, and Joey Logano were the only drivers left with a shot to win the championship. Kevin Harvick though had the pole for the event while Jimmie Johnson failed a pre race inspection on the car and had to go to the rear of the field for the race.
The race started off with Kevin Harvick leading laps as Jimmie Johnson was in the top 20 well before lap 10. By lap 20 he was in the top 15. The first caution comes out on lap 26 for Ryan Blaney that smacks the wall. The caution brought in the leaders.
The race continued with Carl Edwards getting to lead a couple laps before Kevin Harvick took the race lead back. The green flag racing went on long enough that at lap we had green flag pit stops. The caution finally comes out on lap 80 as Jeffery Earnhardt spins out. The caution brings in the leaders with Kevin Harvick keeping the race lead off pit road.
Joey Logano got the best of the restart and the race lead. Carl Edswards though got hot and took the race lead at lap 92. The green flag racing continues and at alp 119 we get the start of green flag pit stops. A.J. Allmendinger picked up an uncontrolled tire penalty. A the pit stops were over Kyle Larson was able to get to the race lead.
The long green flag run continues with Carl Edwards getting the race lead back at lap 136 and around lap 140 it was pit stop time for Kyle Busch to replace a bad tire. A few lap later and Kyle Larson took the lead back. A new round of green flag pit stop start around lap 154. After they were over Kyle Larson was back in the race lead. The green flag racing finally came to end at lap 171 for debris. The caution brought in the leaders
Kyle Larson got to lead a whole bunch of new laps under the next green flag run and with 61 laps left Ryan Blaney brings out another caution as he smacked the wall. The leaders pit and Kyle Larson keeps the race lead. With 54 laps left the race restarts and Kyle Larson easily gets the race lead with Kyle Busch in second place. As the green flag laps quickly were winding down Carl Edwards had a hot car. With 28 laps left he was right behind Kyle Busch for second. With 24 laps he took over second place. With 15 laps left we get the next caution as Dylan Lupton has tire problems. The leaders pit and Kyle Larson kept the race lead with Carl Edwards in second.
The race restarts with 10 laps left and we quickly go to a red flag as Joey Logano gets a slightly better restart than Carl Edwards. Carl though attempts a block and winds up wrecking hard. Martin Truex Jr. got some massive damage and fiery wrecked car. Brad Keselwoski and more cars were caught up in the wreck.
Carl walked over to the Joey Logano pit box and said that it was all his fault. He also wound up shaking Todd Gordon’s, crew chief of Joey Logano, hand.
“I thought we had it,” said Carl Edwards.
“Wrong place. wrong time,” said Martin Truex Jr. on the wreck.
After a very lengthy cleanup lasting over 30 minutes the cars were finally back to racing. Kyle Larson was in the lead with Kyle Busch in third and Jimmie Johnson in fourth. When pit road was finally open Joey Logano and other cars pits.
With 5 laps left we have a clean restart as Joey Logano got a bunch of spots quickly to third spot. Later on in the lap Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spins out wrecks to bring out the caution. Jimmie Johnson was second at the time of the caution. Kyle Busch and only a few more cars pits.
We get overtime. As the green flag drops Jimmie Johnson gets the race lead in a clean restart. Kyle Larson was in second. Jimmie was able to maintain the lead and take the race win. The win gives him his seventh championship
“Just beyond words,” said Jimmie Johnson. “So thrilled to be here in this moment.”
“Recovered after the incident,” said Joey Logano. Joey stated that it was hard racing when it came to the late race wreck.
Kyle Busch stated that he wished he had more laps to use the fresh tires he had.
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