Sunday’s race in Kansas produced the closest ever margin in the history of NASCAR and saw four cars breach the checkered flag within 0.074 seconds of each other. The classic will tie Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher together forever for the former grabbed the win with a lead of 0.001 seconds. In a recent race analysis, sports icon Kyle Petty explained why the event is among the greats.
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Taking off by noting how the Next Gen cars never fail to put on a show when racing on intermediate tracks, he got into analyzing the 268 laps. He said, “Yesterday may be the greatest race we’ve seen yet on an intermediate track. How about that first segment? Ross Chastain-Kyle Larson.”
“I know Larson is a dirt pack ace. I know Larson understands the slide move and he makes it happen. But Ross Chastain made it happen yesterday. Those last two or three laps as they ran door to door, side to side, cutting each other off… looked like something from a Saturday night, short track and a 20-lap heat race.” The close-quarter racing in Stage 1 was enjoyed very much by the drivers as well.
“That was just incredible racing,” Larson said to NASCAR. “Way stressful racing for me, not really in the race, but that’s what you get with stages and stage points and a playoff on the line.” The first stage wasn’t the only part of the day that was remarkable. Battles unfolded all the way from the lead to the tail of the field throughout the race.
The thrilling finish puts Kansas a tad bit above other notable races
Before the Kyle Busch-induced caution came out in Lap 261, it appeared as though one amongst Denny Hamlin or Martin Truex Jr. might come out the winner. However, the Richard Childress Racing driver’s spin put the race into overtime and reshuffled the field. On the subsequent restart, Hamlin took the lead only to lose it quickly to Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson.
Buescher made it almost impossible for Larson to get past him until he left space in the outside lane. The Hendrick driver squeezed himself into the gap off Turn 4 and pulled up alongside to drag race it out to the finish line. Petty said of it, “There couldn’t have been more than 2 inches between him and the wall and two inches between him and Chris Buescher. But he stuffs it in there”
“That’s why he has a championship trophy. He’s committed. He was committed all the way to the line and he won by that much. I’m telling you so much strategy. So much racing. You had it all yesterday. I still haven’t caught my breath.” Whether the race is the best one to ever take place or not, it will always live in NASCAR history. Thankfully, there is another trip to Kansas coming this September.
