Well, Kyle Busch got his win. 76 hours after the original green flag time (we win this round, Le Mans). It’s a win that leaves an additional spot open in the Championship Four, meaning Joey Logano’s still the only driver locked in. It’s also a win that means NASCAR can finally leave Texas after what looked like a maddening day for all involved.
Let’s break it down, driver-by-driver:
The Field
Dudes not in the playoffs:
After waiting three days for the race to restart, this happened between Matt Kenseth and Bubba Wallace just about immediately:
I mean, pretty funny.
Elsewhere, Christopher Bell had a great race, finishing third. Bell drives the 95 car for Leavine Family Racing. He’s a rookie. Leavine Family Racing—one of the low-level teams—is on its way out, having been sold this summer. They were headquartered in Texas. For a bit there it looked like he was going to win. Kind of fun.
And lastly…actually, I don’t think I have anything else. Thought I did a minute ago. But I did not. That or I did and I’ve just forgotten. Welp. Moving on.
Oh! Kyle Busch. Duh.
Yeah, Kyle Busch won. Got pretty close on fuel at the end. Excitingly close.
Joey Logano – Finished 10th, Still Locked into Championship Four
I know nothing about how Joey Logano’s day went. I did the check-Twitter-periodically instead of watching since, you know, I was driving myself (Stuber Eats, not NASCAR, but sometimes I like to pretend I’m driving NASCAR while I drive, like with how I pass or don’t pass on the highway or how I take turns on windy roads, but I still drive safe and everything—it’s mostly just a pretend thing in my head). Anyway, didn’t notice Logano at all.
Kevin Harvick – Finished 16th, now 17 points ahead of Keselowski and 42 points ahead of Bowman/Elliott
Evidently Harvick hit the wall in the few laps that were run on Sunday (evidently a few laps were run on Sunday). That didn’t seem to hold him back much, but he was dealing with vibrations all day. So actually, maybe it did? But nobody said it was the cause, at least in my channels and I don’t know enough to know. Anyway, couldn’t get moving. Think he got lapped at the end.
Denny Hamlin – Finished 9th, now 2 points ahead of Keselowski and 27 points ahead of Bowman/Elliott
Hamlin took some damage in the Kenseth/Wallace tag. He was the one who hit Kenseth, who he said checked up? Anyway, didn’t make any headway in the standings. Lost ground, in fact. Got helped out by Kyle Busch winning, or he’d be the last guy in (and at risk of being the first guy out, depending who wins next week at Martinsville). Anyway, needs to stay ahead of Keselowski next week. And the rest of them. Or he needs to pass Harvick (and still hold off the rest of them).
Brad Keselowski – Finished 6th, now 25 points ahead of Bowman/Elliott
Keselowski had a fine day, but he’s in a tight place. If the standings hold and one of the four drivers behind him wins, he’s out. Which means, he either needs to win or pass Hamlin next week. Making Keselowski vs. Hamlin a bit of an undercard to the main event.
Alex Bowman – Finished 5th, now 25 points behind Keselowski
Bowman’s close enough that with a wreck or a blowup (etc.) from Keselowski or Hamlin, he could still sneak into the final. But the more likely scenario’s probably just winning. Which isn’t particularly likely.
Chase Elliott – Finished 20th, now 25 points behind Keselowski
Elliott had some bad luck today. Tire came apart as he pulled off pit road after just taking gas around…the end of Stage Two? Not sure. Was playing track position. Went wrong. Got lapped. Couldn’t get unlapped.
The end result is that Elliott’s in a better spot than Bowman, not because he’s in a better spot than Bowman, but because he’s better than Bowman (slash has a better team than Bowman?), so him winning at Martinsville’s more likely.
Martin Truex, Jr – Finished 2nd, now 36 points behind Keselowski
Before the race Sunday, Truex failed inspection, getting his crew chief ejected, his starting position in the race changed to last, and…20 points removed from him in the standings, which leaves him a lot further out.
Now, Truex almost changed this. Had Busch run out of gas, Truex would’ve won, putting him in the championship, Hamlin on the bubble, and Keselowski on the outside looking in. But Truex didn’t win. Now, he must. Or, you know, wait until next year. Which is coming up!
Kurt Busch – Finished 7th, now 81 points behind Keselowski
Similarly to Logano, Kurt Busch was present today, if not extraordinarily visible. Unlike Logano, he’s not in the championship. Although he, like Bowman or Elliott or Truex, could win next week and change that (but he’s more on the Bowman side than the Elliott/Truex side in likelihood).
