LOUDON, N.H. – Pit strategy just before the first stage break on Sunday led Kyle Busch to victory in the second stage of the Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Busch pitted under a lap 68 caution for Cole Whitt’s engine detonation and assumed the point when polesitter and early dominator Martin Truex Jr. did so under the ensuing stage break, leading every green-flag lap of the second stage en route to his fifth stage win of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
“The car has been really good here; we have had really good speed all weekend,” said Busch, who beat Denny Hamlin to the green-checkered flag by 4.138 seconds.
“Adam and the boys have done a good job all weekend to give us a great Interstate Batteries Camry. I’d like to think that we are the car to beat and there is a couple that are right here around us that are really good, too. I think it’s almost back to the primary groove being the best groove here … so, I’m going to go to the front and pass the whole field, lap the whole field and win the race. How about that?”
The caution-free second stage saw opening stage fast men Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson restart 24th and 26th, respectively, at the start of the run, but both found their ways back into the points by the time the green-checkered flag waved for the second time.
Behind Busch and Hamlin, the Stewart Haas Racing Fords of Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch were third and fourth, with seven-time and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson crossing fifth after rallying from a jumped start penalty on the initial green flag.
Truex, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Blaney, Larson and Clint Bowyer completed the points-scoring drivers in the top 10 at the second stage break.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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