The Cup Series caps off a doubleheader weekend with the Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway.
After his crash at Talladega and a fractured vertebrae, Erik Jones has been cleared to race but will take off again this week to rest up before heading to Darlington. Corey Heim will fill in for Jones again this week.
Thirty-eight teams brought cars to Kansas including Jimmie Johnson making a return to the track in the number 84 car.
The drivers have been divided into two groups for practice and qualifying. The top five drivers from each group will move on to a second round of qualifying to set the pole.
Earlier in the week, Daniel Suarez took the test to become a citizen of the United States. He noted that the “test” on the track (practice and qualifying) is a lot easier.
At the end of Group A practice, William Byron led the way across the board in fastest lap and multiple lap runs.
With cooler temperatures at Kansas, Tyler Reddick has run a lap in practice that was over 180mph – faster than any pole so far in the Next Gen car.
Earlier this week, Ricky Stenhouse Jr has signed a multi-year extension on his contract with JTG Daugherty Racing.
In Group B, Tyler Reddick had the fastest lap but it was Kyle Larson who led in the multiple lap runs.
Kyle Larson notes that practice is different from “real life”.
Austin Hill was the first driver from Group A to make a qualifying run and posted a time of 30.392 seconds around the mile and a half track.
Michael McDowell was the first driver to break the 30 second mark with a time of 29.944 seconds.
William Byron gets into the wall on his qualifying run and posted a time of 31.043 seconds.
Ryan Blaney brushes the wall on his qualifying run.
Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson, Chase Elliott, and Michael McDowell will all move on from Group A to round two of qualifying.
The first driver from Group B on the track is Riley Herbst who posted a time of 30.19 seconds.
Ty Gibbs, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson will move on to round two of qualifying from Group B.
The first driver in the top 10 to make a qualifying run is Michael McDowell who posted a time of 29.841 seconds.
With a time of 29.491 seconds Christopher Bell puts his number 20 car on the pole with Ross Chastain starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Advent Health 400:
Christopher Bell
Ross Chastain
Noah Gragson
Kyle Larson
Kyle Busch
Ty Gibbs
Austin Cindric
Michael McDowell
Chase Elliott
Chase Briscoe
Joey Logano
Chris Buescher
Martin Truex Jr
Denny Hamlin
Tyler Reddick
Austin Dillon
Josh Berry
Alex Bowman
Jimmie Johnson
Corey Heim
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Carson Hocevar
Bubba Wallace
Zane Smith
Todd Gilliland
Ryan Blaney
Daniel Suarez
Corey LaJoie
John Hunter Nemechek
Brad Keselowski
Harrison Burton
Ryan Preece
Daniel Hemric
Austin Hill
Justin Haley
William Byron
Riley Herbst
Derek Kraus
Rains have come to Kansas Speedway and delayed the start of the race. Track drying is in process.
Originally scheduled to start at 3pm, NASCAR called the drivers to their cars at 5:30pm EDT as track drying continues.
Several drivers will have to start the race from the back of the field after the crews made unapproved adjustments to the cars – William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, and Alex Bowman.
After a rainstorm moved through the area, the track is green and the temperatures are cooler; the track will be fast.
Giving the command for today’s race is Jimmie Johnson from behind the wheel of the number 84 car. Fellow seven time champion Richard Petty was originally scheduled to give the command, but has gone to join son Kyle on the annual motorcycle charity ride..
Nearly four hours after the original start time, the drivers are moving and are making their pace laps.
Stage one is 80 laps, stage two is 85 laps, and stage three is 102 laps for a total of 267 laps around the mile and a half track. The drivers can run 62 to 66 laps on a single load of fuel. The drivers will have to make a pit stop during all three of the stages.
Christopher Bell brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the outside lane with Ross Chastain alongside. Bell and Chastain go side by side as the driver spread out three wide.
Christopher Bell barely edges out Ross Chastain to lead lap one.
Las two, the top five are Ros Chastain, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Noah Gragson, and Ty Gibbs.
Lap four, Kyle Busch comes up from eighth to made it a three wide battle for fifth with Ty Gibbs and Austin Cindric.
Lap six, Ross Chastain has a narrow lead on Christopher Bell; Kyle Larson, Noah Gragson, and Ty Gibbs round out the top five.
Lap eight, Christopher Bell battles with Ross Chastain for the lead. Their battle allows Kyle Larson to move up on their bumpers.
Ty Gibbs passes Noah Gragson for fourth.
Kyle Larson passes Christopher Bell for second.
Lap 16, Ross Chastain holds on to the lead with Kyle Larson – who has been trying to pass for the lead – in second; Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Noah Gragson round out the top five.
His fellow drivers say that Ross Chastain is the hardest driver to pass.
Lap 20, after a bad qualifying lap on Saturday, William Byron started the race in 36th place; he is now in the top 20 in 19th place.
Lap 22, Denny Hamlin passes Kyle Busch for seventh.
Chris Buescher has entered the top five.
Lap 23, Ross Chastain has a lead of over half a second on Kyle Larson with Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Chris Buescher rounding out the top five.
Lap 29, Ross Chastain has a lead of nearly a second on Kyle Larson; Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.
Lap 32, Ryan Preece and Todd Gilliland begin the cycle of green flag pit stops.
Lap 33, several more drivers come down pit road for service, including the leaders. Christopher Bell is the new leader.
The top 12 drivers have yet to make a pit stop.
Lap 36, Kyle Larson finally gets around Ross Chastain.
Corey Heim was caught speeding on pit road.
Ross Chastain passes Kyle Larson and will retake the lead once all of the cars make their pit stops. Leader Derek Kraus is the only driver yet to make a pit stop.
Lap 40, the battle between Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain continues.
Lap 43, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson pass Derek Kraus with Chastain retaking the lead. The battle between Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain continues with the two drivers passing each other back and forth.
Lap 47, the top five are Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, and Denny Hamlin.
Lap 49, after taking a break for a couple of laps, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson continue their battle of swapping the lead back and forth.
Lap 52, Kyle Larson finally gets past Ross Chastain for the lead. Derek Kraus finally makes his pit stop to complete the cycle of green flag stops.
Lap 60, Kyle Larson leads the race. Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain battle for second; Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher round out the top five.
Denny Hamlin has gotten around Ross Chastain and is aiming for leader Kyle Larson.
Lap 63, Denny Hamlin has caught Kyle Larson and is battling for the lead.
There are 33 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 64, Kyle Larson holds on to the lead but Denny Hamlin is challenging for the lead.
Lap 67, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin continue to battle for the lead with Ross Chastain on their bumper.
Lap 68, Denny Hamlin finally gets around Kyle Larson for the lead.
Lap 74, Denny Hamlin has pulled out to a lead of nearly half a second on Ross Chastain; Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, and Christopher Bell round out the top five.
Christopher Bell and Chris Buescher battle for fourth.
Lap 78, Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain battle for the lead; Hamlin holds on to the top spot.
Denny Hamlin holds off Ross Chastain to win stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Denny Hamin
Ross Chastain
Kyle Larson
Christopher Bell
Chris Buescher
Ty Gibbs
Martin Truex Jr
Kyle Busch
Noah Gragson
Chase Elliott
Drivers come down pit road for service with Ross Chastain edging his way in front of Christopher Bell for the lead.
John Hunter Nemechek was caught speeding on pit road.
Denny Hamlin got blocked in his pit stall and came out in eighth place.
Several teams are reporting cording on their right tires.
Ross Chastain brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Christopher Bell on the outside on lap 89. Chastain and Bell battle for the lead with Kyle Larson coming up from the inside in a five wide battle to take the lead.
Lap 90, the top five are Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr, and Kyle Busch. Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain fall to sixth and seventh.
Lap 95, Kyle Larson has a near one second lead on Chris Buescher; Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.
Lap 97, Kyle Busch passes Martin Truex Jr for fourth.
Lap 98, Kyle Larson has a second and a half lead on Chris Buescher.
Lap 103, Kyle Larson has a lead of over two and a half seconds on Chris Buescher.
The sun has come out. The track temperatures have risen nearly 10 degrees since the race start.
The top five are Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr.
Lap 110, Kyle Larson now has a three second lead on Chris Buescher.
Lap 116, Kyle Larson continues to lead the race but Chris Buescher has closed the gap to just over two seconds; Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.
Green flag pit stops have begun.
Lap 119, Kyle Larson comes down pit road for service and gives the lead over the Tyler Reddick as green flag pit stops continue.
Kyle Larson had a slow stop after the tire changer had trouble with one of the tires.
Drivers who stay out on the track lose over a second of track time over the drivers with fresh tires.
Once Tyler Reddick comes down pit road, Chris Buescher will become the new leader.
Kyle Larson returned to the track in eighth place after his slow stop; he is now in fifth place.
Lap 131, Chris Buescher has a lead of over a second on Kyle Busch; Ty Gibbs, Kyle Larson, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.
There are 31 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 136, halfway, it has been a very clean race with the stage break the only caution flag.
Kyle Larson passes Ty Gibbs for third.
Lap 140, the Kyle and Kyle show begins with Larson challenging Busch for second.
William Byron has made the best of a bad day, after starting in 36th, he is just outside the top 10 in 12th.
Lap 143, Kyle Busch has closed the gap on leader Chris Buescher to just over a second; Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.
Lap 148, the Kyle and Kyle show continues as they close in on leader Chris Buescher who is just over half a second ahead.
Lap 150, Kyle Larson passes Kyle Busch for second.
Lap 154, Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs battle for fourth.
Lap 156, the top five are Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Ty Gibbs.
Lap 158, Denny Hamlin battles with Kyle Busch for third.
Five laps remain in stage two; Chris Buescher has a lead of over half a second on Kyle Larson; Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs round out the top five.
Chris Buescher wins stage two for his first stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Chris Buescher
Kyle Larson
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Busche
Martin Truex Jr
Ty Gibbs
Alex Bowman
Tyler Reddick
Ross Chastain
Noah Gragson
Drivers come down pit road for service with Kyle Larson winning the race off of pit road. Denny Hamlin gets slowed up on pit road again by Ryan Preece. Preece also ran into Michael McDowell.
Chris Buescher was charged with the crew coming over the wall too soon. He also has a windshield tear off stuck on the roof.
Daniel Hemric was caught speeding on pit road.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Kyle Busch alongside on lap 174. Larson gets out in front as the drivers get four wide battling for position.
Lap 176, William Byron has entered the top 10.
The first caution flag of the race for an on track incident comes out on lap 176 involving Jimmie Johnson, Corey LaJoie, and Austin Hill. Johnson hit the wall hard and becomes the first driver out of the race. Johnson checked up and was hit in the rear by Corey LaJoie and spinning Johnson out. Hill was collected up in the melee.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the restart on the inside lane with Kyle Busch alongside with 84 laps remaining in the race. Larson holds on to the lead but Busch comes out to battle for the spot.
Crash on the backstretch in a four wide battle. Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, and Austin Cindric were involved. Hamlin hits Cindric who then hit Wallace and McDowell. Austin Cindric is out of the race. Hamlin reports that he is tight.
Out of the infield care center, Jimmie Johnson attributed the wreck to a racing incident.
Kyle Busch is the new leader and will bring the field down for the green flag restart from the inside lanewith Kyle Larson alongside with 77 laps remaining in the race. Busch holds on to the lead with Kyle Larson in second.
Harrison Burton spins out and brings out the caution flag with four flat tires.
Some of the drivers back in the field come down pit road to top off the fuel cells.
Out of the infield care center, Austin Cindric noted that it was a racing deal; saying when it’s a four wide battle the guy on top gets into the wall.
Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag restart from the inside with Kyle Larson on the outside with 70 laps remaining in the race. Busch edges out in front but Larson comes up to battle for the lead as the cars spread out across the track.
Joey Logano spins out to bring out the caution flag. He reports flat tires and is stopped on the track. Chase Briscoe moves up the track to make contact with Logano, causing the spin.
Kyle Larson was named the leader as the caution flag comes out.
With 66 laps remaining in the race, most of the field comes down pit road for service. The drivers can make it to the end of the race from this point. Kyle Busch wins the race off of pit road but is not the leader with some drivers staying out on the track. Todd Gilliland is the leader of the race.
Todd Gilliland brings the field down for the green flag restart with Denny Hamlin alongside. The top six drivers stayed out on the track. Kyle Busch is the first driver on fresh tires.
Drivers quickly get three wide across the track with Todd Gilliland in the lead. Drivers are getting four wide.
Denny Hamlin takes the lead with 61 lpas to go.
The top five are Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, and Michael McDowell
Chris Buescher battle with Denny Hamlin for the lead and gets out in front.
Kyle Busch passes Bubba Wallace for third.
With 57 laps remaining in the race, Chris Buescher leads the race with Denny Hamlin in second; Kyle Busch, Todd Gilliland, and Kyle Larson round out the top five.
With 55 to go, Denny Hamlin passes Chris Buescher for the lead; but Buescher isn’t sitting still, he keeps up the battle for the lead.
Denny Hamlin is in the lead.
Kyle Larson passes Todd Gilliland for fourth.
Of the 38 cars that started the race, 33 of them have been in the top 10 at one point.
Fifty to go; Denny Hamlin leads the race with Chris Buescher in second; Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Todd Gilliland round out the top five.
Just 48 laps to go and the drivers are getting spread out through the track.
With 45 laps to go, Denny Hamlin has a near half second lead on Chris Buescher; Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Todd Gilliland round out the top five.
Forty-two to go, Chris Buescher isn’t letting Denny Hamlin pull away; Buescher is keeping up the pressure retake the lead. Third place driver Kyle Busch is over a second behind the leaders.
With 39 to go, Chris Buescher and Denny Hamlin are side by side in a battle for the lead. If Buescher can pull off a win, it will be the first win of the season for Ford.
Kyle Larson passes Kyle Busch for third. Martin Truex Jr passes Todd Gilliland for fifth.
There are 35 laps remaining in the race with Denny Hamlin in the lead with Chris Buescher in second; Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.
Just 28 laps to go, Denny Hamlin holds on to the lead with Chris Buescher in second; Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr continue to round out the top five.
With 24 laps to go, Denny Hamlin has less than half a second lead on Chris Buescher. Hamlin’s crew chief is telling Hamlin to save fuel.
Twenty to go! Denny Hamlin has a third of a second lead on Chris Buescher; Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr round out the top five.
The crew chiefs for Denny Hamlin and Chris Buescher are telling their drivers to save fuel. Kyle Larson’s crew chief says that they are three laps to the good.
Martin Truex Jr passes Kyle Busch for fourth with 14 laps to go.
Ty Gibbs comes down pit road for fuel.
Ten to go, With the top drivers saving fuel, Denny Hamlin has a second and a half lead on Chris Buescher; Ryan Truex Jr, Kyle Larson, and Kyle Busch round out the top five.
Carson Hocevar comes down pit road for fuel with just nine laps to go.
Martin Truex Jr passes Chris Buescher for second.
Kyle Busch passes Kyle Larson for fourth.
Seven to go, Martin Truex Jr is putting the pressure on leader Denny Hamlin.
Kyle Busch spins out with seven laps remaining in the race.
Brad Keselowski is running the fastest laps on the track.
Most of the drivers come down pit road for service with just four laps remaining in the race. Denny Hamlin wins the race off of pit road after taking just two tires. The first nine drivers took only two tires; Martin Truex Jr is the first driver with four fresh tires.
The race goes into overtime!
Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green/white/checker shootout to the end with Chris Buescher alongside. Drivers spread out three wide with Chris Buescher getting out in the lead.
Chris Buescher takes the white flag with Kyle Larson on his tail.
Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson are nose to nose at the finish line with Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr on their bumpers. Just 0.001 seconds separated the two drivers with Kyle Larson just edging out for the lead by a mere inch. It is officially the closest win in NASCAR history!
The unofficial results of the Advent Health 400:
Kyle Larson
Chris Buescher
Chase Elliott
Martin Truex Jr
Denny Hamlin
Christopher Bell
Alex Bowman
Kyle Busch
Noah Gragson
Michael McDowell
Brad Keselowski
Ryan Blaney
John Hunter Nemechek
Todd Gilliland
Josh Berry
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Bubba Wallace
Justin Haley
Ross Chastain
Tyler Reddick
Chase Briscoe
Corey Heim
William Byron
Carson Hocevar
Austin Dillon
Corey LaJoie
Daneil Suarez
Ryan Preece
Zane Smith
Daniel Hemric
Derek Kraus
Ty Gibbs
Austin Hill
Joey Logano
Riley Herbst
Harrison Burton
Austin Cindric
Jimmie Johnson