Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch became the first NASCAR racer to sweep both a Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series race from the pole in the same weekend. Busch did it in dominating fashion by leading a Brickyard 400 record 149 of the 170 turned.
From the drop of the green flag there was no question Kyle Busch had the fastest hot-rod. Furthermore, the race went 25 miles over the scheduled distance thanks to three late race cautions in the events closing moments. Each time the field was reset for a re-start, Kyle Busch pulled out front before Turn 1 and drove away from the pack.
In fact, after the races last re-start in overtime, Kyle Busch looked faster than ever. The green flag was waved for the final time and off went Busch. He outraced teammate Matt Kenseth to the finish line by 2.126 seconds. Busch gave credit to his owner Joe Gibbs and his team for the performance.
“This Toyota was awesome today,” said Busch, who won his second Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis, his fourth of the season and the 38th of his career. “It was just so fast and able to get out front and stay out front. Not even some of my teammates could challenge. This was hooked up and on rails. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and these guys are a phenomenal group, and I’m proud to be with them. It’s fun to come out here and have such a dominant piece at Indy. They don’t come along often, so I was just hoping I didn’t screw it up.”
The Joe Gibbs Racing juggernaut reared its angry head on Sunday. The dominate racing team placed three of its drivers in the top five and clearly had the four fastest cars throughout the race. Carl Edwards wrecked in the closing laps or JGR would have had four top five appearances. Martin Truex Jr., the new addition to the team, finished eighth. Edwards had to settle for a disappointing 35th.
NASCAR legends Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon raced for the last time at the hallowed venue. Both drivers represented their skill set well. Stewart clearly had one of the faster Chevrolet’s on the day. He guided his car behind Kyle Busch for the races first thirty laps. He managed to keep himself upfront and finished 11th after getting caught up in the contest’s final caution.
Jeff Gordon, who filled in for injured Dale Earnhardt Jr., stayed competitive throughout the day. Although he never threatened to breach the top ten, he managed to stay out of trouble. Gordon and his new team slowly tweaked the #88 Axalta Chevrolet during the race. As a result, he came away with a admirable 13th place finish. Gordon and Stewart took a victory lap side by side to honor the fans in their last race at Indianapolis.
“Tell (the 88) after this is over let’s go around the track one more time together,” Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and driver of the organization’s No. 14 Chevrolet, said. “I can say that just ranks in the top-three coolest moments of my 18 years in this series,” said Stewart, who will retire from Sprint Cup racing at season’s end. “To share that moment with Jeff here at Indianapolis, I don’t know. I don’t even have the words for it. That is a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Jimmie Johnson battled through a penalty for speeding on pit road to finish in third. The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion was followed by Denny Hamlin. Hamlin was another speeding penalty victim and the third Joe Gibbs Racing driver in the top four. Kyle Larson drove on to an impressive fifth place tally. It was his fourth top five finish on the 2016 season.
The 23rd Annual Crown Royal Presents the combat Wounded Coalition 400 at Indianapolis speedway took three hours and 17 minutes to complete. The average margin of victory was 2.126 seconds and the average speed of the field was 128.94 miles per hour. Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for his qualifying efforts on Saturday. He also received the Mobil 1 Driver of the Race Award. Joe Gibbs Racing took home the Mahle Clevite Engine Builders of the Race.
Final Running Order for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
1 18 Kyle Busch Skittles Toyota 170 45 5 150.0 Running 3 149
2 18 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 170 39 112.3 Running
3 13 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Red Vest Chevrolet 170 38 97.1 Running
4 4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 170 37 103.9 Running
5 10 42 Kyle Larson Energizer Chevrolet 170 36 107.3 Running
6 7 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s Chevrolet 170 35 102.7 Running
7 14 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 170 35 1 100.4 Running 1 6
8 8 78 Martin Truex Jr. Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota 170 33 114.5 Running
9 12 3 Austin Dillon DOW/Mycogen Chevrolet 170 32 89.2 Running
10 23 27 Paul Menard Valvoline/Menards Chevrolet 170 31 78.3 Running
11 3 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Chevy Summer Sell Down Chevrolet 170 30 91.4 Running
12 16 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. SunnyD Ford 170 29 69.2 Running
13 21 88 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet 170 28 77.0 Running
14 22 34 Chris Buescher # Dockside Logistics Ford 170 27 66.6 Running
15 15 24 Chase Elliott # NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 170 26 73.8 Running
16 11 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet 170 25 82.8 Running
17 5 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 170 25 1 94.0 Running 1 15
18 26 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 170 23 69.3 Running
19 9 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 170 22 76.0 Running
20 33 38 Landon Cassill Snap Fitness Ford 169 21 47.7 Running
21 31 15 Clint Bowyer AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet 169 20 54.3 Running
22 24 10 Danica Patrick Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet 169 19 57.8 Running
23 27 95 Michael McDowell Thrivent Financial Chevrolet 168 18 52.0 Running
24 34 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 168 17 51.3 Running
25 29 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 168 16 46.8 Running
26 37 7 Regan Smith Nikko RC/Toy State Chevrolet 168 15 43.7 Running
27 32 44 Brian Scott # Medallion Bank Ford 168 14 47.5 Running
28 38 46 Michael Annett Allstate Peterbilt Group Chevrolet 167 13 38.5 Running
29 35 98 * Cole Whitt Speed Stick Chevrolet 167 12 35.5 Running
30 20 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 167 11 58.3 Running
31 6 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet 166 10 70.0 Accident
32 36 93 * Ryan Ellis(i) ScienceLogic Toyota 166 PE 34.1 Running
33 39 55 * Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 165 8 31.3 Running
34 40 32 Patrick Carpentier Can-Am/Kappa Ford 164 7 29.1 Running
35 2 19 Carl Edwards Stanley Toyota 154 6 100.1 Accident
36 17 21 * Ryan Blaney # Quick Lane/Motorcraft Ford 152 5 63.5 Accident
37 28 23 David Ragan Brandeis Machinery Toyota 117 4 37.2 Accident
38 25 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger/Kingsford Chevrolet 71 3 43.2 Overheating
39 19 16 Greg Biffle Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford 53 2 46.5 Accident
40 30 83 Matt DiBenedetto ScienceLogic Toyota 4 1 23.2 Engine
