Kyle Larson Scores Closest Finish in NASCAR History
Kyle Larson clinched a nail-biting victory at the rain-delayed AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, edging out Chris Buescher in what is now the closest finish in NASCAR history. Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet crossed the line just an inch ahead of Buescher’s No. 17 Ford after a dramatic two-lap shootout, triggered by Kyle Busch’s spin on Lap 261 of the scheduled 267 lap race.
Following the restart, Buescher initially seized the lead, but Larson swiftly caught up on the final lap’s backstretch. The two cars made contact twice as they drag raced toward the finish line, with Buescher momentarily holding the advantage mere inches away. However, Larson surged ahead in a photo finish, winning by a razor-thin margin of 0.001 seconds. This victory marked Larson’s second win of the season, his second at Kansas Speedway, and his 25th career win. Additionally, it was the sixth win for Hendrick Motorsports this season, the most in the NASCAR Cup Series thus far.
In the intense overtime period, Chase Elliott secured third place, trailing Larson by 0.059 seconds, followed closely by Martin Truex Jr., who finished 0.075 seconds behind the leader.
The caution caused by Busch’s spin nullified the fuel-saving strategies that had characterized the race’s final stage. This led to a mass pit stop on Lap 263, with most cars opting for right-side tires only, while Truex opted for fresh rubber all the way around.
Denny Hamlin, finishing in fifth place, was the first off pit road and chose the bottom lane for the restart, with Larson behind him and Buescher on the outside. However, Larson maneuvered to the inside entering Turn 1, leaving Hamlin behind and allowing Buescher to take the lead.
Buescher, achieving his first career top-five finish on an intermediate speedway, maintained the lead until Larson surged ahead on the backstretch, setting the stage for the thrilling dash to the finish line.
Throughout the race, there were 27 lead changes among 10 drivers, with seven cautions for a total of 43 laps. The race ran largely without incident until Lap 176, when contact between Corey LaJoie’s Chevrolet and Jimmie Johnson’s car caused a three-car accident, resulting in a seven-lap caution period.
Subsequent cautions prompted various strategies regarding fuel and tire management. Truex, with sufficient fuel, was closing in on then-leader Hamlin before Busch’s spin forced the overtime.
Christopher Bell, who started from pole position, finished sixth, followed by Alex Bowman, Busch, Noah Gragson, and Michael McDowell. Looking ahead, the Cup Series heads to the Carolinas for the remainder of May, with the Darlington throwback race scheduled for next Sunday.
Post-race inspection at Kansas Speedway confirmed Larson as the race winner, with no issues detected. No vehicles will undergo further inspection at the NASCAR R&D Center.
