After a couple major wrecks on Saturday the Monster Energy Cup drivers get their shot to avoid the big one. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. picked off the pole for the event.
The race started off with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leading laps until Brad Keselowski took over the race lead as Rickey dropped a few spots to get rid of trash on his grill. Then Kyle Larson hit the wall and brought out the caution a couple laps later on lap 17. Car pit and then it was on to the rest of the second stage that went caution free. Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, and Brad Keselowski got to lead laps under this time period. Brad Keselowski was able to win the first stage. Cars up front pit while Denny Hamlin who pitted before the pits were closed took over the race lead.
The second stage started off with Denny Hamlin leading laps. At lap 82 we get the next caution as Reed Sorenson wrecks. Cars up front pit with a few cars staying out for track position. The race continued until the end of the second stage with Denny Hamlin leading more laps and taking the state two win.
The third stage was a long green run and with 44 laps left green flag pit stop started. After they were over Kyle Busch got some time as the race leader. With 28 laps left it was caution time as Ryan Blaney wrecks.
With 23 laps left the race continued, but it was a short green flag run as we wind up with the lap 20 red flag for a monster wreck. A.J. Allmendinger in third taps Chase Elliott in second taking out a whole bunch of cars including Trevor Bayne, Danica Patrick, Joey Logano, and more. A.J. and his car had wheels in the air.
“I got pushed back into it,” said Austin Dillion on the wreck.
“It is what it is,” said Joey Logano on the wreck.
“I barely tapped him(Chase Elliott),” said A.J. Allmendinger.
Chase Elliott stated that he did not think it was “his(A.J. Allmenidnger) fault” on the wreck.
“Tough day for us,” said Martin Truex Jr.
Danica Patrick said that last years wreck was worse than this year.
After a lengthy clean up period cars were finally under the yellow. With 15 laps left the race restarted. On the next lap Dale Earnhardt Jr. drops to the back as he wound up with a bad tire and went down a lap. Kyle Busch was the race lead leader. With 10 laps left the caution comes out for Landon Cassill who was slow on the track.
With 7 laps left the race restarted and Kyle Busch was leading laps. With 3 laps left Ryan Newman wrecks to bring out the caution. This brought out overtime. The restart of the race occurs. Kyle Busch has the race lead as he is blocking cars up front. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. makes the bold move to the low side. Ricky did not get the lead on his try, but got it on the second. On the final lap Ricky was doing the blocking and was able to finally get a win in the top series. It also ends an over 100 race winless streak at Roush Fenway Racing.
“This is for all the guys at the shop,” said Ricky Stenhouse Jr. “Qualified on the pole. Got the win.”
“Stenhouse got a really good run,” said Kyle Busch.
“Really been a good track for me,” said Jamie McMurray.
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