Kyle Larson beats Chris Buescher by 0.001 seconds in Kansas thriller

 

[May 06, 2024]  Kyle Larson made history on Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Larson made the decisive move off Turn 4 and nipped Chris Buescher at the finish line, earning the checkers in a historic photo-finish NASCAR overtime to win the AdventHealth 400 in Kansas City, Kan.

Larson beat Buescher by 0.001 seconds -- officially the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Denny Hamlin led with seven laps to go when Kyle Busch, running in fifth place, spun for the race's seventh caution, five of them coming for incidents in Stage 3.

After the top eight cars took two tires in the pits, Larson passed Hamlin in the two-lap shootout, went high on Buescher's No. 17 and edged Buescher for his second win this season and 25th of his career.

"That race, from start to finish, was amazing," said Larson of his second Kansas win. "That first stage was incredible. The second stage at the end was fun. The last stage with wrecks, cautions, fuel strategy and tires running long was wild.

"You guys got your money's worth today."

The two drivers banged off each other to checkers in the thrilling finish.

NASCAR's timing originally scored Buescher as the victor, but a quick review showed Larson was first to the line.

The Prosper, Texas, native was not convinced of his runner-up showing after squeezing Larson in Turn 4.

"I sure can't tell in that picture," Buescher said after watching a replay. "We needed that, but we needed a win more. I thought I might have had that one. ... I gave him half a lane too much."

It was Chevrolet's seventh win and kept Ford winless in 2024.

Finishing the top five were Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Hamlin.

After a three-hour rain delay, Christopher Bell's No. 20 Toyota led a front row with Ross Chastain, whose No. 1 Chevrolet took the lead early from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

May 5, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) leads the pack coming out of turn four during the Advent Health 400 at the Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Hamlin, last week's winner, asserted himself with about 15 laps to go, swiped the lead from Larson and took the point. It was his 16th consecutive race leading at least one lap.

The JGR driver went on to beat Chastain and Larson to score Stage 1's full bonus points on Lap 80, his third segment win of 2024.

In nearly full sunshine and on a warmer track after the earlier rain, Larson's Hendrick Motorsports car came alive and pulled away from the field in the second stage before green-flag pit stops began on Lap 118.

Despite a slow pit stop with a problem on the left front tire change, Larson rebounded to chase down Buescher in the closing laps, but the No. 17 RFK Racing driver held on for his first stage win while Larson's No. 5 and Hamlin's No. 11 followed.

However, Buescher had two problems on his pit stop -- two of his crew members were over the wall too soon, and his tear-off stuck on his Ford's roof -- sending him to the back of the field.

The race's first accident occurred in Turn 1 when Jimmie Johnson, Corey LaJoie and Austin Hill tangled on Lap 176.

The fourth caution flew shortly after the next restart when Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace and Michael McDowell wrecked on the backstretch.

Harrison Burton and Joey Logano were involved in single-car incidents for the next two yellows.

--Field Level Media

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